City Comments on the Province’s Proposal to Return 15 Parcels of Land to the Greenbelt and Update Greenbelt Act

The Province is consulting on a proposal, posted on the Environmental Registry and presented to the Legislature in Bill 136 that includes two key elements: · to restore 15 parcels of land, which were removed from the Greenbelt in December 2022 (City Council had previously adopted a Staff Report in October 2023 that supported the return of these 15 parcels of land to the Greenbelt in addition to the Province's proposal at that time to return of one parcel in Ajax); and · to define the Greenbelt Plan Area boundaries directly into the Greenbelt Act. A permanent Greenbelt supports the foundation for the long-term ecological integrity of the region's natural systems. A robust regional natural system supports Toronto's biodiversity and increases our resilience to the impacts of climate change. Consistent Greenbelt policies and land use certainty enables the agri-food sector to make long term agricultural investments and reduce speculation across a land base that includes the most productive agricultural land in the country. The City of Toronto has long supported the permanent protection of the Greenbelt, and regional planning policies that reduce the impacts of urban sprawl. This report discusses the Province's reversal on their previous decision to amend the Greenbelt Plan Area boundary to remove or redesignate 15 parcels of land totaling 2,995 hectares (7,400 acres) and outlines staff comments and recommendations related to the Province's current consultation on their "Proposal to return lands to the Greenbelt - Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023" posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. The comment period for this consultation is open from October 16 to November 30, 2023.

3. Planning and Housing Committee request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division forward this report to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing immediately following Planning and Housing Committees meeting of November 30th, 2023, as its submission to the Province on their Proposal to return land to the Greenbelt - Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 and the ERO posting (019-7739). 4. City Council request that the City Clerk forward Council's decision on this item to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing following City Council's consideration of this report, as its supplementary submission to the Province on their Proposal to return land to the Greenbelt - Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 and the ERO posting (019-7739).