Economy vs. environment: York Region seeking a process to develop Greenbelt lands

Newmarket mayor says public should be consulted after environmentalists sound alarm

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 13, 2020
Kim Zarzour

York Region councillors voted Thursday to ask the province to open up parts of the Greenbelt to developers -- but a vocal few are saying the public should have been consulted first.

At a committee of the whole meeting Oct. 8, regional councillors and mayors debated a resolution asking the province to “unlock” protected land along the 400-series highways to allow for employment growth.

In the days before the scheduled vote, environmental activists sounded the alarm, blasting the region for “attacking the Greenbelt.”

Environmental Defence Executive Director Tim Gray warned that caving to pressure from developers and land speculators would set a dangerous precedent.

The region has been asking to develop the 400-series land for years and asked staff to prepare a report examining benefits.

Iain Lovatt, mayor of Whitchurch-Stouffville, led the charge, calling the activists' accusations “utterly false and offensive.”

All municipalities “support, cherish and celebrate” the protected lands, but it’s been a polarizing issue and it’s time to address it head-on, he said.

“I believe there’s a fine balance that needs to be found between local municipal financial viability and managing the burden on local taxpayers while maintaining the importance and improving the Greenbelt.”

It’s an especially important issue for Whitchurch Stouffville, with 95 per cent of land protected under the Oak Ridges Moraine and most employment land in the south of the region, he said.

His town is targeting three areas along the 404 -- at Stouffville Road, Aurora Road and Davis Drive -- for employment, he said.

It would be a game-changer, providing 26,000 jobs and more than $62 million in new taxes, he said.

East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson also spoke in favour of the resolution, saying 600 acres in her municipality could be future business park area, with at least 6,000 new jobs, 4.5-million square feet of non-residential building space and up to $3 million in additional annual property taxes.

King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini noted King is 99 per cent Oak Ridges Moraine and 95 per cent of the municipality is residential development compared to five per cent industrial/commercial.

“That’s not sustainable.”

“Anyone who says this is open season on the Greenbelt is stretching,” added Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti.

The region would only develop if it’s deemed necessary through comprehensive review, he said.

“We don't need a lesson from anybody on trying to protect open spaces. We have led by example,” he said. “We’re the leaders in getting the Oak Ridges moraine established in the first place.”

Richmond Hill regional councillor Carmine Perrelli commended councillors supporting the motion to develop the Greenbelt, saying they displayed “intestinal fortitude.”

No one knows their municipality better than their local council, he said, and sticking with their fight to develop the protected land “takes a lot of guts.”

The public will be able to comment during municipal reviews and site applications, he said.

But there were voices against the resolution, including Markham Deputy Mayor Don Hamilton who called it “the thin edge of the wedge.”

Hamilton expressed concern over how much of the protected land along the 400 could be developed.

A small hotel, for example, might be more feasible, than "a giant warehousing firm or corporation like Amazon that might want 100 acres.”

York Region needs to “stand back and stand down,” Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said.

Taylor and Aurora Mayor Tom Mrakas called for public consultation first.

“We have discussed this before, but I don’t believe we’ve ever really engaged the public in a fundamental way on this topic, and this is a big, meaningful topic to the public,” Taylor said. “We owe it to them.”

“The province has been very clear in saying that they’re not interested in opening the Greenbelt, and I think we need to listen to that,” added Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk.

Adam Wilson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, said the province is fully committed to protecting the Greenbelt and is not considering proposals to remove lands from its protection.

“We look forward to continuing to work with York Region to accelerate opportunities that create jobs and housing, outside the Greenbelt and the Oak Ridges Moraine,” he said in an emailed statement to YorkRegion.com

Former regional councillor Brenda Hogg -- one of the key initiators behind the Greenbelt -- warned if these lands are “paved over,” they’ll be gone forever.

She noted a staff report is being presented next week to York Region committee of the whole outlining a multitude of municipal requests to convert employment lands to residential or mixed-use.

“So, where’s the rush to find new employment lands? Residential lands are obviously much more valuable to the development industry.”

To deal with these concerns, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti suggested wording to restrict development to employment purposes only.

“With the number of conversions that we’re seeing being applied for across the region, it would not make sense to open up an inch of the Greenbelt under the premise of opportunity for economic development, only to turn it around and have developers apply for conversion.”

The vote was approved by 11 members of council, with Taylor, Mrakas, Quirk, Hamilton, and Markham Regional Coun. Jack Heath voting against.

It needs approval from regional council Oct. 22 before the request can go to the province.