Richmond Hill councillors air warnings about York’s future growth
‘We can’t grow anymore; we need to send strong message to province’
YorkRegion.com
Sept. 18, 2015
By Kim Zarzour
Richmond Hill councillors reacted with caution and concern to a presentation this week outlining future development and growth in York Region.
Valerie Shuttleworth, the region’s chief planner, gave a 20-minute presentation to council Wednesday night explaining three draft growth scenarios for the region.
Growth forecasts call for the region’s population to increase by about 650,000, reaching almost 1.8 million by 2041 - about 280,000 in Richmond Hill.
That increased population and development meets expectations set by the province, Shuttleworth said. Local growth must meet the province’s minimum density targets.
The three growth scenarios will undergo further review and public consultation before a preferred option is presented to regional council in November.
That’s all fine and good, Richmond Hill councillors said, but where will all those people go?
“A very strong message needs to be sent to the province to say if we aren’t going to get a firm present commitment to infrastructure funding for transit, none of this stuff matters, because we can’t grow any more,” Ward 4 Councillor David West said.
West warned of disaster should the growth targets in “car-centric” York Region be reached without solutions to traffic gridlock.
“Right now, we can barely get out of the subdivisions we’re building, but as soon as we get out onto the regional roads and highways, forget it. Until we actually catch up on infrastructure funding, I don’t know why we’re talking about growth. It can’t happen - people won’t be able to get into the cars and go anywhere.”
Most of the forecast growth is in the southern part of the region and along Yonge Street, which will heavily impact Richmond Hill, said Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora.
“With growing number of new residents coming here, every few years we’re getting new numbers from the province. We need to find a balance between housing, employment and quality of life...and that’s a tough nut to crack if we don’t have the financial resources.”
Ward 6 Councillor Godwin Chan said the region’s growth forecasts should add strength to the push for a Yonge subway extension.
“We need funding commitments, not just talk during the election.”
Shuttleworth said the province is starting to get the message.
“Clearly, all our York Region residents are looking for complete, vibrant and walkable communities where they can meet the majority of their needs in close proximity to their home,” she said.
Regional Councillor Brenda Hogg raised concern that while greenbelt lands may be protected, the so-called whitebelt could be lost to development “and there’s an awful lot of people who don’t want more residential sprawl”.
There are still more than 4,000 hectacres of whitebelt lands available for development in York Region.
Greenbelt land is also under development pressure. Research by Environmental Defence shows 74 site-specific requests to remove lands from the protected greenbelt have been made to the Ontario government and more may be on the way.
The majority of requests (51) came from York Region, according to the the environmental advocacy group.
“The province is currently reviewing the Greenbelt Plan and the public has been clear that they want the greenbelt to stay protected. Recent polling shows that 93 per cent of Ontarians support the Greenbelt and 75 per cent want to see it expanded,” the group said in a statement released this week.
Members of York regional council are divided on how to deal with future growth, and whether to open the whitebelt to development or make urban areas more intense, Hogg said at Richmond Hill’s council meeting.
“It’s challenging, it’s difficult...and it’s costing more and more with environmental protections, protecting land that probably shouldn’t have been developed in the first place. We are addicted to growth and ultimately, the next generation following us will pay for that heavily.”
