Item - 2023.PH6.5

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council support the Province’s proposal to return 53 hectares (133 acres) in the Town of Ajax back into the Greenbelt Plan Area.

2. City Council request that the Province scope their planned review of the Greenbelt to evaluate the 14 other sites removed though Amendment 3 to the Greenbelt Plan by reconsidering the outcomes of Amendment 3 to the Greenbelt Plan Area and return the remaining 14 sites to the Greenbelt Plan Area.

3. City Council encourage the Province to commit to align any future legislated reviews of the Greenbelt with the Greenbelt Plan’s existing vision and goals, and not examine the potential to replace protected farmland and natural spaces with urban development.

4. City Council request that the City Clerk forward this report to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as the City of Toronto’s submission to the Province on their Proposal to return land to the Greenbelt and the ERO postings (019-7561 & 019-7562).

The Province is consulting on a proposal to return 53 hectares (133 acres) of land back into the Greenbelt Plan Area that was recently removed through Amendment 3 to the Greenbelt Plan. The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has also informed municipalities of the Ministry’s intention to undertake a future review of all Greenbelt lands, though details of that review have not been released at this time.

While the lands considered in this proposal are not within the City of Toronto or its watersheds, changes to the regional planning framework impact municipalities throughout the greater bioregion. 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 enable 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.

On December 21, 2022, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing amended the Greenbelt Area boundary to remove or redesignate 15 parcels of land totaling 2,995 hectares (7,400 acres). City Planning prepared and submitted comments that opposed this decision following a City Council motion made on November 24, 2022 (Item CC1.2).

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 outlines staff comments and recommendations related to the Province’s consultation on their “Proposal to return lands to the Greenbelt”, as posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. The comment period for this consultation is open from September 5 to October 20, 2023.