Email this pageHere’s What People Are Saying About The Greenbelt

February 28, 2005

David Suzuki, David Suzuki Foundation

“I congratulate you for recognizing that urban sprawl represents a major negative impact on the environment, from continued degradation of wild areas to overdependence on cars, loss of farmland, and pollution of air, water and soil.  I hope the greenbelt is the first of more government initiatives to control sprawl, conserve nature, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect air, water and soil, and get us out of our cars.  Congratulations on this initiative.”

David Donnelly, Greenbelt Alliance

“The Ontario Greenbelt Alliance believes that a strong economy and a well-protected, world-class greenbelt go hand in hand. Businesses cannot prosper if goods and services are stuck in traffic. Family recreational opportunities are diminished if there is no greenspace left to enjoy. We are pleased the McGuinty government is moving forward with its plan to create a permanent greenbelt in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”

Donald Ziraldo, Inniskillin Wines, Greenbelt Task Force Member

“Ontario’s wines rank among the world’s finest—and the Niagara region contains some of Canada’s best land for growing the grapes that sustain our industry. That’s why I was delighted to serve on the Greenbelt Task Force—and why I’m equally happy that the McGuinty government is moving ahead with its plan to protect the Niagara tender fruit and grape lands through its greenbelt plan.”

Norm Beal, President, Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery

“The fact that the urbanization of our unique agricultural lands will be prevented is great news… we have long sought a strong provincial policy that would prohibit severing these lands for residential purposes, and we believe Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Gerretsen is moving in the right direction on the greenbelt… As in the Napa Valley example, when land is protected under legislation, the tendency is to have the values increase dramatically. Napa Valley land in some cases is now worth a quarter-of-a-million dollars an acre.”

Linda Franklin, President, Wine Council of Ontario

“The Ontario wine industry is very supportive of the greenbelt strategy—we lobbied for a land preserve in Niagara for several years to stop the loss of our grape and tender-fruit land to development.”

Rebecca L. Wissenz, President, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce

“We fully agree that enshrining the inviolability of tender-fruit lands, open spaces and environmentally sensitive areas is critically important to our generation and to future generations of Ontarians.”

John Gray, Mayor, City of Oshawa

“Municipalities will always be under pressure to allocate more land for development. Growth can bring great things, but there has to come a time where we say no and protect our greenspace.”

- 30 -