Niagara, Ontario – The Sierra Club of Niagara is calling on the Province to stand firm in its recommendation to add 2,280 acres of land to the Greenbelt in the Niagara region, amid concerning requests from Niagara Region and private developers to remove land from Greenbelt and Niagara Escarpment designation.
Red dots on this map in Niagara Region and other areas of southern Ontario identify areas developers and others are asking provincial government to remove from protected Greenbelt.
While the Sierra Club commends the Province and Niagara Region for supporting the inclusion of two parcels of land in the Greenbelt, the Sierra Club is troubled by a request from Niagara Region to remove a large swathe of protected fruit-growing land in Grimsby from the Greenbelt. In addition to the loss of vibrant peach and apricot orchards, the removal of this land from the Greenbelt would endanger the 28-acre Irish Grove Woodlot.
“The Province’s initial recommendation to grow the Greenbelt in Niagara Region is a strong proposal to protect Niagara’s $1.1 billion agricultural economy and the environment,” said John Bacher from the Sierra Club of Niagara. “This strong recommendation is now under attack by developers and municipalities asking to remove land and pave over orchards and farmland for private development.”