Sustainable Brant Blog Posts – from 2014-18
BetterBrant.ca has picked up where SustainableBrant.org left off. Below are many of the posts from the old SustainableBrant.org site. They are sorted chronologically where possible, in some cases related posts are grouped together. Unfortunately links to news articles from Brant News and Brantford Expositor no longer function.
OMB Hearing to Protect Brantford/Brant Green Ribbon
POSTED BY ELLA HALEY
December, 2014:
Sustainable Brant was represented by the Canadian Environmental Law Association and worked with Mark Dorfman, Planner. See the documents here. We are protecting the “protected agriculture” ribbon around Brantford that was created by Provincial law in 1980.
September, 2015: Victory, Sustainable Brant won at the OMB!From Cela’s latest newsletter:CELA launches successful appeal to preserve agricultural lands
The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) has allowed an appeal brought by CELA on behalf of a citizen’s group Sustainable Brant, which seeks to preserve agricultural lands and the environment in Brant County.Sustainable Brant had appealed the County’s official plan, which had changed the land use designation of some 135 acres of land from agricultural to industrial. The land lies in the “protected agriculture” ribbon in Brant County that encircles Brantford. The County’s approval of a zoning by-law change and an industrial subdivision were also overturned by the OMB decision. The thrust of the case brought by CELA and the City of Brantford, which was adopted by the OMB, was that the County had no legal authority to change the agricultural designation of the lands in question under the Planning Act, because the County had failed to reach an agreement with the City on a non-agricultural designation, as required by the Municipal Act.The Board reinstated the original policy designating the lands as agricultural lands until such time as the City of Brantford reached an agreement with the County of Brant that municipal services will be extended for the development. Sustainable Brant’s Board of Directors said that it “was very pleased with the outcome of the case” and expressed its thanks to Mark Dorfman, the planner, who provided expert testimony at the OMB hearing and for CELA’s legal representatives who worked on the case:Ramani Nadarajah, Joe Castrilli, and Erica Stahl. The decision was issued on August 6, 2015 and is referenced as Case No(s) PL090536 and PL121070 on the OMB’s website:https://www.omb.gov.on.ca/english/eDecisions/eDecisions.html Sept. 21, 2015: Hopewell filed for “leave to appeal” the OMB decision
Smart Growth or Unsustainable Sprawl
June 28/16
Call or email your councillors. Ask them to vote NO to the Megasprawl Deal
Question the City’s need for this land, the loss of farmland, the cost of this deal, and the lack of adequate public consultation on this new proposal.
June 20, 2016
Speak Up: Please send a letter of concern to the Minister. See sample letter below.
Send Letters to:
(Note: The deal must be approved by the Minister before it is final).
1) Honourable Bill Mauro, Minister of Municipal Affairs, bmauro.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
2)Brant’s MPP Dave Levac dlevac.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org,
3) the media – see contacts below letter
4) sustainablebrant.org (we are keeping track of letters)
Thank you for your help.
Sample Letter – (Change the wording to personalize your letter)
Dear Minister Mauro
On June 28, 2016, Brantford and Brant County will vote on an agreement to pave over our precious farmland. In December, Deputy Minister Laurie Leblanc, advised them to heed the Crombie report recommendations 19, 20 and 21. She referred to the Crombie report, stressing points on how to deal with land needs assessment, settlement area expansions and the existing “oversupply of land” that is designated for future development. Recommendation 20 speaks of “de-designation” of land for development and reducing the size of urban settlement boundaries. Instead Brantford and Brant County Councils are considering doing the opposite.
The Brantford/Brant boundary/annexation deal will pave over our precious local foodland. There is strong support for local food especially peri-urban farming (next to cities). In January, 2016 we saw the importance of the local food industry. Imported food prices soared. The Seattle Times reported “In Canada, 4 cauliflowers cost more than a barrel of oil”. Local food needs local farmland. Farmers need a thriving farming community to prosper.
The Brantford/Brant boundary/annexation agreement will take the heart out of the local food economy. Bountiful Brant produces a local food map highlighting the numerous farms that produce local food in our area. The boundary deal means that some of these farms would be paved over. Other farms that remain will be critically impacted as they lose their farming community.
The boundary/annexation deal would involve a total of 8,875 acres of land that would be developed, much of it prime farmland (Class 1-3) and Class 4 farmland! The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is” demanding the provincial definition of prime agricultural land be expanded to include Canada Land Inventory Class 4 soils, along with Class 1, 2 and 3 soils.”
With the proposed boundary deal, Brantford would annex 6,718 acres of mostly prime farmland. In exchange, Brant County would get water and sewer services from Brantford to enable joint City/County ventures on another 2,157 acres of land, 1,060 acres in the Airport area, and 1,097 acres in the Cainsville area, much of which is currently farmed.
The Crombie report calls for more compact city development in order to protect farmland, address climate change, avoid the costs of more infrastructure and support public transit. Mr. Minister, we need your help to plan our urban areas more efficiently, address climate change, save taxpayers money and preserve existing farmland.
Please do not approve the Brantford/Brant County boundary agreement. We need your help to support and protect our local farmland and local food economy. Protect prime farmland Classes 1 to 4. Do not allow the annexation of any of it. To meet growth needs, please require Brantford to grow up, not out. Preserve the “protected agriculture ribbon” (see map) that encircles Brantford.
Thank-you,
Media contacts: Brant News – best to send by Monday…published Thurs. Goes to all homes in Brantford and Brant County, sallen@brantnews.comBrantford Expositor: Burford Times: weekly, published Tuesdays, burfordtimes@brant.netSt. George Lance, Monthly cmparafenko@hotmail.com (comes out near the end of the month)Hamilton Spectator
March, 2016
On February 16, Brantford and Brant County Councils voted yes to the Brantford/Brant boundary agreement (Megasprawl Dea) that will pave over our precious foodland. It’s not over yet. This deal must still be approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs . The Minister at the time (Ted McMeekin) did not approve the boundary deal.
Background and Maps:
Note: for all links in blue…press control and click on the link to open them.
On January 6, 2016. Brantford Mayor Chris Friel and Brant County Mayor Ron Eddy signed a Memo of Understanding for a sprawl deal whereby Brantford would acquire 2,454 hectares (6,064 acres) of mostly farmland to pave over (mostly in the “protected agriculture ribbon”).
Brantford’s Sprawl: 6,718 acres
Brantford and Brant County Councils do not seem to be listening to the concerns of their residents.
After the majority of the public in Brantford and Brant County spoke against the deal, both councils agreed to increase the amount of land that Brantford would annex from 6,064 acres to 6,718 acres (mostly prime farmland).
To see the new maps, click here and go to page 11 and 12.
The megasprawl deal is much bigger than it appears on the map because of the sprawl that it enables in Brant County.
Brant County sprawl: 2,157 acres
In exchange for the 6,412 acres, Brantford would provide Brant County with water and wastewater services. The Airport area and Cainsville will be areas of “joint ventures” for Brantford and Brant County. This involves on another 2,157 acres of land, 1,060 acres in the Airport area, and 1,097 acres in the Cainsville area, much of which is currently farmed.
See details p. 4, Item 9.
Here is Brant County’s information on the annexation.
Here is Brantford’s information.
See Canada Land Inventory, Soil Capability for Agriculture. Zoom in to see Brant County.
“The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is demandingthe provincial definition of prime agricultural land be expanded to include Canada Land Inventory Class 4 soils, along with Class 1, 2 and 3 soils.”
Most of the land in the megasprawl deal is also in the “the protected agriculture ribbon”.
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Created by the Ontario Government in 1980, this ribbon was one of the first “greenbelts” in Ontario. Sustainable Brantand the National Farmers Union of Ontario (NFU-O) all call for the protection of this ribbon.
Brantford would acquire
- Tutela Heights,
- the Innis-Welton and Hopewell properties on the north-east (all the way to Adams Rd), and a vast amount of mostly farmland to the north of Brantford, much if it all the way to Governor’s Rd.
This sprawl proposal flies in the face of the Crombie Report and the joint report by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Environmental Defence (Farmland at Risk). Both reports stress that there should be no more urban boundary expansions. In order to support public transit and reduce energy demands and carbon emissions, the Crombie report recommends increasing the density of cities and promoting intensification.
The decision by Brantford and Brant County Councils behind closed doors to pave over this “protected agriculture” will only support more sprawl development. It will not reduce carbon emissions or address climate change. The decision is not democratic. The process has not been transparent and the decision is not informed by best practices to address climate change, support transit and protect farmland and natural heritage.
We need your help. Be a part of positive change.
Help us to push for smart growth, not dumb growth.
Brant Bluebelt
Help Protect the Grand River Watershed and Stop Sprawl in Brant County
Thank you everyone who has attended meetings and written letters. We need your ongoing support right now.
The Ontario government completed a review of the provincial Growth Plan and Greenbelt and is requesting feedback. Developers met with Mayor Eddy and key Brant County officials and told them what they wanted in the report. From this meeting, a staff report is arguing for Brant to be allowed loopholes that would allow more sprawl type development. The report ignores the Province’s discussion about growing the Greenbelt and reducing sprawl development.
Take Action: Help protect the Grand River watershed in Brant County by
1) filling out the form on the Ministry’s Website at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page14851.aspx. See sample letter focused on Brant County at the bottom of this page. Deadline for comments and feedback on the proposed changes are due by October 31, 2016.
2) sending a copy to the Minister: Honourable Bill Mauro, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, bmauro.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; Snail Mail: 17th Floor, 777 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2E5, FAX 416-585-6470. Here’s one example of a sample letter that you can send
3) registering to speak at the next Brant County Council meeting. Email heather.boyd@brant.ca by noon on Thursday, October 20 to register to speak.
4) submitting your comments to Council by 4 pm Thurs. Oct. 20 to have them included on the Council agenda (email heather.boyd@brant.ca), and
5) attending Brant County Council Meeting on Tues. Oct. 25, 6 pm, Paris Council Chambers, 7 Broadway Street West, Paris.
Tell the province and Brant County that
- that we want to create a Blue Belt (see photo below) to protect the Grand River watershed in Brant County.
- we want smart growth and no loophole (reduced intensification, reduced density) for more sprawl for Brant County.
See sample letter at the bottom of this page. Please send a copy of your letter to sustainablebrant@gmail.comWe are keeping track of the public response.
Thank-you.
Sample Letter to the Province to protect the Grand River Watershed in Brant County
Dear Reviewers,
I am deeply concerned about the leapfrog development pressure in Brant County. Please create a Blue Belt to protect the Grand River watershed in Brant County. See map below. I agree with the Province’s recommendation to increase the density of towns and cities with full services (water, sewer). This means that Brantford and Brant County will have to review the amount of land that they have designated for future development. The province has even suggested “de-designating” land slated for development. This would reduce the size of the urban settlement boundaries for Brantford, Paris, St. George, Cainsville and Burford.
Please ensure that Brant County follows the smart growth principles. To reduce sprawl, do not permit it any loopholes (reduced intensification in urban areas, reduced density on land outside urban areas that is slated for development).
The Province placed a moratorium on development on farmland before it created the Ontario Greenbelt. Could the Province not place a moratorium on the Province’s review of the Brantford/Brant boundary agreement until the mapping of the natural heritage, vulnerable water and agricultural systems is completed?
Freeze urban expansion. Protect Class 1-4 farmland, including farmland along Hwy 403 east of Brantford (just as it is protected along Hwy 403 in the Hamilton Greenbelt). Protect the Grand River watershed, including the Galt-Paris moraine, source water protection zones for the various communities, community wellheads, wetlands, the headwaters of the Grand River in Brant County and the “protected agriculture” ribbon that was created in 1980 around Brantford and Carolinian forest through Brant County.
Thank-you,
Name:
Address:
City and Postal Code
Email:
Signature:
——
Earlier Posts:
Creating a Grand River Watershed Greenbelt
Oct. 15, 2016
Grow the Greenbelt Canoe Ride
Sponsored by Grand Experiences, Sustainable Brant and the Langford Conservancy
September, 11, 2016
Grow the Greenbelt Canoe Ride
Sponsored by Grand Experiences, Sustainable Brant, the Langford Conservancy and RARE
Connecting Communities Along the Grand River | BY: Erica Woods, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
September 9, 2016
Connecting Communities Along the Grand River | BY: Erica Woods, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
Just outside the Greenbelt, and home to almost one million people, the Grand River watershed is the largest watershed in southern Ontario. The Watershed provides drinking water for 85% of local residents. The Grand River flows through many diverse communities; from its headwaters in Dufferin County, through Elora towards Guelph, Waterloo and Brantford until it reaches Lake Erie. With the health of these communities so closely tied to the health of the river and surrounding landscape, residents have banded together to ensure the vitality of the region are protected in the long term. The local advocates are driven by a range of issues– from ensuring sustainable growth to sustainable farming – but the core message is the same: we need to protect our clean water supplies across municipal boundaries for generations to come.
We share three stories of people and communities working to make this happen.
The water engineer
Emile Compion became involved with Wellington Water Watchers to safeguard the watershed as the County grows. With a background in water resource engineering, he was able to take his technical knowledge and apply it to on the ground cases. “As a kid growing up in Elora, I have seen pollution badly damage ecosystems and it’s really painful to see carelessness do so much damage in so little time” said Emile.
With the population of Wellington set to increase from 86,000 to 140,000 by 2041, and much of that growth going to rural and suburban areas, “it’s going to be really important to maintain sustainable water use, ensure agriculture can thrive, and maintain the natural beauty of the area while the County accommodates growth,” said Emile. “We need to grow the Greenbelt to give those areas the protection they need”.
The Smart Growth advocate
Further down river, Kate Daley, the co-founder of Smart Growth Waterloo Region, began learning about smart growth policies when she started advocating for light rail transit in Waterloo Region. As she become more involved, Kate found that many local residents were informed and engaged with smart growth issues and were committed to see Waterloo Region grow sustainably.
Thankfully, Waterloo Region has strong leadership to ensure smart growth planning, and to ensure the region’s rural and natural areas are protected. “We have a great Regional official plan, but the question becomes about long term protection. Our municipal protections are strong, but they are not permanent. Being part of an integrated plan that protects sensitive features, moraines and groundwater resources that cross boundaries is critical,” according to Kate. “We need that extra layer of Greenbelt protection to make it permanent.”
The fourth generation farmer
As the Grand River turns southeast towards Brant and Brantford, organic farmers Richard Tunstall and Ella Haley are working with several local organizations to urge the Province to protect their water. The pair first became involved in farmland protection when Highway 403 was extended through Ella’s farm, which had been in her family for four generations. Now they are raising funds through community bonds to try and save one farm at a time, as thousands of acres of land is being bought up for future development.
For Richard, the motivation is to make sure agriculture is a viable way of life in Brant County. A healthy, protected watershed is a vital piece of that puzzle. Richard is confident that for farming to have a future in Brant, young farmers need access to affordable land and they need to know the resources that sustain agriculture are protected.
“Growing the Greenbelt is a way to start the ball rolling,” says Richard. “It can protect the land and give us breathing room to figure out how to get young farmers on the land.”
Take Action
Interested in adding your voice to the efforts of these local community leaders to protect water and ensure sustainable growth? Send a letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro:
Take Action:
- Please contact us if you would like to endorse the creation of the Grand River Watershed Greenbelt and help us gather signatures for a petition to support this.
- Write a letter to your local newspaper, your local MPP and Minister McMeekin (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing).
Sample Letter:
Dear Minister McMeekin, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
I am deeply concerned about the leapfrog development pressure in Brant County. We want to grow the Greenbelt to include a Grand River Greenbelt, which would protect farmland, natural areas and our drinking water. A greenbelt would promote healthy communities by preventing urban sprawl. During the review of the Ontario Greenbelt Plan, I ask the Ontario Government to take this opportunity to protect the Grand River watershed, farmland and natural areas for present and future generations.
I urge you to work to:
- Keep foodland in local farmers’ hands. Developers, landbankers and off-shore investors “leapfrog” over the Hamilton boundary of the Ontario Greenbelt and have been buying up precious farmland in Brant County. Stop the landgrab of our local foodland.
- Freeze urban expansion. Stop sprawl on our precious local foodland. Let cities grow up, not out,
- Grow the Ontario Greenbelt to protect our precious foodland, natural areas and water resources.
- Protect prime farmland Classes 1-4 throughout Brant County.
- Create a Grand River Watershed Greenbelt.
- Protect the Paris-Galt Moraine which is a significant ground water recharge area.
- Legislate an end to landbanking practices in Ontario. Saskatchewan has put a moratorium on the purchase of farmland by non-family trusts (with more than 10 beneficiaries) and pension plans.
- Grow the Greenbelt to ensure the connectivity in Brant County’s agricultural system, natural heritage and water systems along Highway 403, with abutting (protected) lands along Hwy 403 in the Ontario Greenbelt
- Include the “protected agriculture” ribbon that was created by Provincial law in 1980.
Send to Ted by email, fax or snail mail:
17th Floor 777 Bay Street
Toronto M5G 2E5
tmcmeekin.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Fax: 416-585-6470
To find our more and get involved with local efforts in your community, visit the following websites:
- In Wellington County, visit www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca to find out what local events and initiatives are going on.
- In Waterloo Region, visit www.smartgrowthwaterloo.ca to find out what initiatives are ongoing now.
- In Brant, visit www.sustainablebrant.org to find out how to get involved.
Click the tweets below to share your support online:
I’m taking action to #GrowOurGB because I believe in protecting vital water sources. Join me! | growourgreenbelt.ca/action
Proposal to #GrowOurGB would protect our essential water sources from threat of urban sprawl. | growourgreenbelt.ca
Let’s #GrowOurGB to include vital water sources left out of current #LandUseON Plan! @BillMauroMPP | growourgreenbelt.ca Please share this postJune 15, 2016
There is a growing support from municipal councillors, individuals, environmental groups and organizations for a Grand River Watershed Greenbelt to protect foodland, natural heritage and water resources.
For Immediate Release: December 23, 2016
Brantford, ON — This week Brantford and Brant County signed one of the largest annexations of prime farmland in southern Ontario in recent history, with the approval of the Ontario government. Bill Mauro, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the mega sprawl deal effective January 1, 2017. The deal gobbles up approximately 9,000 acres of mostly prime farmland, with Brantford annexing about 6,700 acres and Brantford then extending services to adjacent rural communities to enable another 2,150 acres of mostly farmland available for development.
“The Ontario government is not listening. It is not protecting our precious food resources for a growing population,” said Ella Haley of Sustainable Brant “The decision to allow Brantford sprawl onto farmland, flies in the face of premier’s election campaign in Brant County to make sure farmland is around for future generations.”
Brant County reflects a growing landgrab across the country. Brant County suffers from “leapfrog development” pressure, with developers and a land banking company buying up farmland just outside of the Ontario Greenbelt.
The National Farmers Union has been tracking the large scale purchase of farmland by corporations, pension funds and off shore investors, including in Brant County. Emery Huszka, President of the National Farmers Union of Ontario expressed deep concern about the annexation. “If the Ontario government cares that little about agricultural land, it’s a poor demonstration of their feeling of rural communities,” said Huszka.
Walton International, a multinational land banking company with thousands of offshore investors is now the largest owner of prime farmland in Brant County. Walton has bought up approximately 5,000 acres of mostly farmland in Brant County. A close inspection of deeds of farms owned by Walton, including the farm that was owned by Mayor Ron Eddy shows hundreds of offshore investors mainly from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Brant County is unique because of the Six Nations community. Different parties in the Six Nations community feel that Minister Mauro’s approval of the Brantford/Brant boundary deal reflects a failure of Brantford, Brant County and the Ontario government to have “meaningful consultation”. For example, Wilfred Davey from Hodiskeagehda Men’s Fire (Six Nations) issued a written statement that the Brantford Boundary agreement has “never been discussed with the Men’s Fire or Haudenoshaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council.”.
Minister Mauro’s decision ignores
- the 3,000 petitions to create a Grand River Watershed Greenbelt to protect farmland, natural areas and water resources in Brant County,
- the call by residents, farm and environmental groups for no urban boundary expansions,
- the recent recommendations of the Crombie report
- the wishes of the majority of Brantford and Brant County residents, and
- the unanimous call from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, the Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union and other farm organizations to “freeze urban boundaries in the Greater Golden Horseshoe”.
The Brantford annexation deal does not protect farmland or help us feed the growing Ontario population. The deal flies in the face of all recommendations for smart growth and compact communities.
We call for Premier Wynne to protect prime farmland by intervening and placing a moratorium on the Brantford/Brant boundary deal.
A boundary adjustment deal could be close –
Mayors weigh in on state of talks between Brantford and Brant
Sept. 30, 2015
Sustainable Brant critique: Brantford should grow up, and not sprawl onto farmland in the “protected agriculture” ribbon.
County of Brant, City of Brantford to resume boundary talks
Sept. 14, 2015
Group wants greenbelt on Grand River
Aug. 14, 2015, Brantford Expositor
Brantford’s latest ask for farmland
June 1, 2015
Saving farmland, stopping aggregate extraction dominate Greenbelt meeting
Provincial Consultation in Brantford: preserving foodland, water and natural heritage
Ontario farmers shift position on the Greenbelt:
The Plunder of Brant County’s Foodland
Just outside of the Ontario Greenbelt, thousands of hectares of prime farmland have been bought up in land banking schemes.
The Great Canadian Land Grab, from Operation Maple, featuring Ella Haley and other concerned Brant County and Six Nations residents.
—
December, 2014:
Sustainable Brant was represented by the Canadian Environmental Law Association and worked with Mark Dorfman, Planner. See the documents here. We are protecting the “protected agriculture” ribbon around Brantford that was created by Provincial law in 1980.
September, 2015: Victory, Sustainable Brant won at the OMB!
Annexation
Dec. 28, 2016
Opposition to urban expansion by farmers, Six Nations, residents and environmental organizations ignored
For Immediate Release: December 28, 2016
Brantford, ON — On Jan. 1, 2017 Brantford and Brant County will complete one of the largest annexations of prime farmland in southern Ontario in recent history with the approval of Bill Mauro, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The deal gobbles up approximately 9,000 acres of mostly prime farmland, with Brantford annexing about 6,700 acres and Brantford then extending services to adjacent rural communities to enable another 2,150 acres of mostly farmland available for development.
“The Ontario government is not listening. It is not protecting our precious food resources for a growing population,” said Ella Haley of Sustainable Brant “The decision to allow Brantford sprawl onto farmland, flies in the face of premier’s election campaign in Brant County to make sure farmland is around for future generations.”
Brant County reflects a growing landgrab across the country. Brant County suffers from “leapfrog development” pressure, with developers and a land banking company buying up farmland just outside of the Ontario Greenbelt.
The National Farmers Union has been tracking the large scale purchase of farmland by corporations, pension funds and off shore investors, including in Brant County. Emery Huszka, President of the National Farmers Union of Ontario expressed deep concern about the annexation. “If the Ontario government cares that little about agricultural land, it’s a poor demonstration of their feeling of rural communities,” said Huszka.
Walton International, a multinational land banking company with thousands of offshore investors is now the largest owner of prime farmland in Brant County. Walton has bought up approximately 5,000 acres of mostly farmland in Brant County. A close inspection of deeds of farms owned by Walton, including the farm that was owned by Mayor Ron Eddy shows hundreds of offshore investors mainly from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Brant County is unique because of the Six Nations community. Different parties in the Six Nations community feel that Minister Mauro’s approval of the Brantford/Brant boundary deal reflects a failure of Brantford, Brant County and the Ontario government to have “meaningful consultation”. For example, Wilfred Davey from Hodiskeagehda Men’s Fire (Six Nations) issued a written statement that the Brantford Boundary agreement has “never been discussed with the Men’s Fire or Haudenoshaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council.”.
Minister Mauro’s decision ignores
- the 3,000 petitions to create a Grand River Watershed Greenbelt to protect farmland, natural areas and water resources in Brant County,
- the call by residents, farm and environmental groups for no urban boundary expansions,
- the recent recommendations of the Crombie report
- the wishes of the majority of Brantford and Brant County residents, and
- the unanimous call from the Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and other farm organizations to “freeze urban boundaries in the Greater Golden Horseshoe”.
The Brantford annexation deal does not protect farmland or help us feed the growing Ontario population. The deal flies in the face of all recommendations for smart growth and compact communities.
We call for Premier Wynne to protect prime farmland by intervening and placing a moratorium on the Brantford/Brant boundary deal.
For more information please contact:
Ella Haley, Sustainable Brant, 519-647-0307, ehaley1@gmail.co
Brantford Boundary Agreement & Map
Dec. 24, 2016: Minister Bill Mauro, Municipal Affairs has approved a 9,000 acre megasprawl deal:8,875 acres of land much of it prime farmland (Class 1-3) and Class 4 farmland! See text of Agreement below.
With the proposed boundary deal, Brantford would annex 6,718 acres. In exchange, Brant County gets water and sewer services from Brantford to enable joint City/County ventures on another 2,157 acres of land, 1,060 acres in the Airport area, and 1,097 acres in the Cainsville area, much of which is currently farmed. (See maps below.)
The public sent a resounding NO to the annexation in their submissions and at public meetings. There was no public consultation for the land east of Davern Rd. that is being annexed. Brantford has plenty of room to grow if it cleans up its greyfields and brownfields and grows up, not out. Different parties at Six Nations feel that there was no “meaningful consultation” with them. Ontario farm organizations sent a unified call to the Province in December for strict urban boundaries to curb sprawl on farmland. This annexation flies in the face of their request.
Call or email your councillors, MPP Levac, Minister Bill Mauro and Premier Wynne. Tell them how disappointed you are with the decision. Question the City’s need for this land, the loss of farmland, the cost of this deal, and the lack of adequate public consultation with the community and Six Nations.
1) Honourable Bill Mauro, Minister of Municipal Affairs, bmauro.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
2)Brant’s MPP Dave Levac dlevac.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
3) Click here to send a letter to Premier Wynne.
Send a letter to the media: Brant News – best to send by Monday…published Thurs. Goes to all homes in Brantford and Brant County, sallen@brantnews.comBrantford Expositor: Burford Times: weekly, published Tuesdays, burfordtimes@brant.netSt. George Lance, Monthly cmparafenko@hotmail.com (comes out near the end of the month)Click on Hamilton Spectator to send a letter.
The Agreement Paves Over Much of the “Protected Agriculture” Ribbon. Created in 1980 by provincial law, this is one of the original greenbelts in Ontario. Sustainable Brant and the National Farmers Union of Ontario (NFU-O) have been calling for the protection of this ribbon.
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The Agreement Includes Joint Sprawl by Brantford and Brant County in Cainsville and the Airport area (2,157 acres of mostly prime farmland)
