January 28, 2005

McGuinty thrashed for rushing flawed greenbelt plan to cover up ‘inadequacies’

TORONTO

Premier Dalton McGuinty rushed to announce a flawed greenbelt protection plan to deflect attention from his failure to stop development on environmentally sensitive lands north of Toronto, Opposition Leader John Tory said Tuesday.

Tory said McGuinty moved too quickly to announce a development-free zone after he broke a promise to stop more than 6,000 new homes from being built on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

“This caused him considerable embarrassment, when he had to backtrack on his promise, one of many he’s backtracked on,” Tory said.

“The reason this (greenbelt) is being done in haste is to cover up for their inadequacies in other areas.”

Tory said the plan to prevent development on a swath of land across southern Ontario shows little regard for farmers. Some farms have been cut in two by the greenbelt, he said, with half inside and half outside the protected area.

“It almost leads you to conclude . . . that the maps were drawn up not based on real science, but based on political science, or even based on kind of a game of pin the tail on the donkey.”

Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen said the maps were based on scientific advice, and that the government would be willing to change the greenbelt boundaries before the legislation is called for final reading next month.

‘As far as I’m concerned, we’re not taking any current rights away from them (farmers and landowners)’

John Gerretsen

“That’s why we’ve been meeting with various (local) planning authorities,” said Gerretsen. “If there are individuals that feel we haven’t got it 100 per cent right, we’re taking a look at it.”

Lidia Kuleshnyk, who has a masters in environmental studies, said her parents’ farm in Ajax is one that has been split in two by the proposed greenbelt and she’s worried that will hurt her family’s ability to sell the farm.

“Farmers put their money into their land to create a retirement for them, and if that land is devalued in price, then their potential retirement is decreased,” said Kuleshnyk.

“How can land with clearly the same geophysical landscape be allocated in different zones pertaining to the greenbelt?”

Tory said the Conservatives support the idea of protecting large areas of land in southern Ontario from developers, but called on the government to slow down the process.

“Don’t get it done in a hurry. Get it done right and base it on real science, not political science or voodoo science,” he said.

Tory complained that the greenbelt plan failed to include protections for farmers and offered no compensation for any subsequent drop in their property values.

“Farmers are getting calls now from the banks, saying: ‘Well, we’re not so sure the loan we have against your property is as good as it was before the greenbelt,’ ” said Tory.

“The last thing that farmers need is to be getting calls from the bank because of government legislation.”

Gerretsen said his priority is protecting agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands for future generations, not landowners who hope to turn a profit on their property.

“As to how it affects speculators, I’m not concerned about that,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re not taking any current rights away from them (farmers, landowners).”

The New Democrats accused the Liberals of undermining the environmental benefits of the greenbelt by allowing gravel companies to dig inside the protected zone.

“Dalton McGuinty is proposing to give aggregate companies carte blanche to open new gravel pits anywhere they please,” said NDP environment critic Marilyn Churley.

“McGuinty will turn the greenbelt into a gravel belt.”

The Canadian Press

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