Dear Editor,
Huron County’s planning manager, Denise Van Amersfoort, is to be congratulated in stressing the smarter use of lands by the intensification of development and the sparing of irreplaceable prime agricultural land. It is most encouraging that our county planner has such values. However, this ideal intention could be dangerously threatened or cancelled by the new/old Government of Ontario.
Since the provincial Conservatives came to power in 2018, a tragic neglect of caring for Ontario’s prime agricultural land and of Ontario’s treasured Greenbelt has occurred. For example, this dangerous and unnecessary loss of Ontario’s natural resources is evidenced by the provincial government forcing the sale of 400 plus acres of prime, productive farmland for unspecified “developments” in Wilmot Township. In addition, support of developments within Ontario’s treasured Greenbelt were unjust and inappropriate. This wrecking of irreplaceable, essential greenspace must stop if we are to be caring custodians of Ontario’s precious food-producing farmlands and the gem that is our Greenbelt.
Furthermore, the province’s irresponsible use of ministerial zoning orders (MZO’s) has enabled almost any kind of development to proceed without any adult supervision being added to the decision making process. At best, this has resulted in inappropriate use of valued greenspace and at its worst, it has resulted in the permanent destruction of a portion of the Greenbelt and irreplaceable farmland.
Worthy of note is the fact that the province has far too readily approved MZOs to fast track some questionable developments. Meanwhile, professionally-trained planners repeatedly inform us that there is sufficient brown and green space available for development within the present boundaries of Ontario’s largest cities, Why are their findings ignored by the province?
Note that between 2019 and early 2021, the Government of Ontario issued well over 30 MZO’s. Then compare this statistic with the fact that only 49 MZOs were used in the 51 years between 1969 and 2021. This illustrates how frequently the provincial government fast-tracked developments in order to avoid public and professional scrutiny..
In the past seven plus years we have witnessed the irreplaceable loss of farmland in order to create massive subdivisions serviced by more super highways. I am sure that Ms. Van Amersfoort is fully aware of these dynamics and that she will do her best to present responsible and sustainable solutions for developments in Huron County. The question is: will the new/old provincial government allow this?
Jim Hollingworth MD,
Goderich
