'Richmond Hill doesn’t need any settlement': City greenlights review of Greenbelt designations

Critics argue review of farming, agriculture could open door to re-designation of Oak Ridges Moraine countryside

Yorkregion.com
April 22, 2021

Richmond Hill Ward 2 Coun. Tom Muench’s motion on undertaking a review of farming and agriculture was adopted during a five-hour council meeting April 14. But critics argue the move could open the door for the re-designation of Oak Ridges Moraine countryside lands to settlement areas, leading to urban sprawl.

The motion was carried 6-2 with a non-essential amendment. Ward 4 Coun. David West and Ward 5 Coun. Karen Cilevitz opposed.

“I’m really disappointed that this has passed... The goal of this exercise that these people brought forward I have to assume is opening up those lands. And to me that’s a non-starter,” West told The Liberal by phone.

The Greenbelt is a permanently protected area made up of greenspace, farmland, forests, wetlands and watersheds. “I for one will not miss one chance to put my name behind a vote on council to attempt to ensure these protections remain and continue to be strengthened,” Cilevitz said via email.

The motion was put forward after the province indicated it “will protect the Greenbelt for future generations.” York Region has reiterated the same position.

Addressing council in support of the motion, Paul Doner, a farmer representative from John Doner Limited in the Leslie Street and Stouffville Road area, highlighted his business decline due to shrinking customer base, land base and restricted buyer base.

During his presentation, Doner also illustrated an array of traffic safety concerns. They include added traffic caused by GO stations, unsafe lane width for machinery, low visibility of the newly redesigned curbs on Leslie Street, and hidden risks by avoiding the new guardrails along Stouffville Road.

“We are the last grain producing farm based in Richmond Hill. We can not continue to operate much longer in Richmond Hill under the current conditions,” said Doner.

While the council has unanimous support for farmers, some said the motion is not designed to fix the challenges facing the farming community, but is rather a smoke screen.

Resident Carol Davidson cautioned that Muench’s motion is yet another attempt to ignore the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.

“Obviously the endgame is to open this area up for development. Richmond Hill doesn’t need any settlement... What is needed are places for existing and all those new residents to connect with nature, see some wildlife and breathe fresh air,” Davidson told council.

“This motion has very little to do with protecting farmers or saving farmland. It has everything to do with a move to open the door to change the designation from protected countryside land to settlement area ,which would not be protected and would basically have the land growing houses,” said West.

But any housing development in the area would seriously imperil the ecological integrity of the highly diverse natural landscape, according to Gloria Marsh, the executive director of York Region Environmental Alliance.

“The councillors that voted for this (motion)... will all be long gone (if) this area in the Greenbelt ever developed, but the damage caused by their foolhardy decisions would last forever,” said Marsh.