Land, Water and Community: Preparing for a Successful 2015 Review

Transcription

1 Land, Water and Community: Preparing for a Successful 2015 Review

2 Outline ORM Partnership for 2015 Preparing for 2015: Three Plans versus Four Plans Our Areas of Focus Governance & the 2015 Process Our Collaborative Efforts

3 Strong legacy of protecting and advocating for the environment Four Ontario-based environmental organizations Decades of work on the moraine Connected to the people Connected to the issues Connected to 2015

4 Gearing up for the 2015 Review Goal: Strengthen environmental policies for the Oak Ridges Moraine and Greenbelt through the 2015 Review Build strong public support for the Greenbelt and its goals and objectives. Objectives: 1. Policy: Strengthen protection of the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine 2. Public: Celebrate the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine focusing on Water, Nature, and Community 3. Plan Review: Inform the 2015 Review through our collective expertise and knowledge

5 Project Activities Include: Strategic Participation & Outreach Strategic coordination to ensure strong ecological presence at Review via active ENGO participation Branding, communications & planned events to ensure a strong community participation in 2015 Policy report that encapsulates needed improvements to ORMCP

6 The ORMCP is great but. Unintended consequences of the ORMCP and lack of integration with other policies Issues of business-as-usual despite being protected Issues range from tree-cutting of neighbourhood forests to commercial fill to wind towers, transformer stations, water-taking for on and off moraine growth Issues of inequality of policy restriction i.e., 500 metre wind turbines permitted versus zoning amendment required for operating an existing art gallery

7 The ORMCP is great but.

8 Preparing for 2015: Three-plan approach Niagara Escarpment Plan Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Greenbelt Plan

9 Three-plan approach Our approach was an environmentally focused approach based on the scope of the three-plan review. Improve land-use planning i.e., ORMCP Implement mandatory watershed planning Limit new licenses and expansion of aggregates Promote rural prosperity Create a more robust Natural Core & Linkage system Manage externalities related to people s needs Infrastructure Commercial fill, tree-cutting Water-taking Transitional Applications

10 Preparing for 2015: Three-plan approach Niagara Escarpment Plan Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Greenbelt Plan

11 Preparing for 2015: Four-plan approach Niagara Escarpment Plan Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Greenbelt Plan Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe

12 Areas of Focus for 2015 Review Improve land-use planning i.e., ORMCP Rural prosperity Watershed-planning More robust Natural Core & Linkage system Manage externalities related to people s needs Infrastructure roads, water, sewage, electrical generation Commercial fill, tree-cutting Water-taking Bioregional strategy to build social-ecological resilience Ecological restoration Invasives control Climate change strategy

13 Governance & the 2015 Review Process: Transparent, Accessible, Participatory 2015 Review should acknowledge the unique vision and objectives of each plan, and reflected in the GBP Performance Indicators Transparent: clearly defined scope, explanation of the review will be structured Accessible: regular opportunities for public comment in addition to Environmental Registry; materials available for public comment must be accessible Participatory: scope and process needs to be inclusive and participatory, representing the different needs of different stakeholders at different scales Letter to MMAH Minister McMeekin and meeting request

14 Collaborative Monitoring Framework Landscape level Watershed level Site level High Medium Small Provincial Government ensure compliance with and effectiveness of provincial instruments Regional ENGOs ensure socialecological health of bioregion Conservation Authorities ensure watershed health trends up Municipalities ensure social health of municipality Community Groups ensure social-ecological health of neighbourhood/community

15 Collaborative Efforts The 2015 is a massive undertaking we need to work together! Oak Ridge Moraine Partnership for 2015 (STORM, EcoSpark, Earthroots and Ontario Nature) Conservation Authorities Moraine Coalition (CAMC) Neptis Foundation Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation 2015 Review Summit Ontario Greenbelt Alliance Community Groups..and many others!

16 Summary ORM2015 Partnership Lay experts that bring a unique perspective to the 2015 review Three Plans to Four Plans Bio-regional approach to 2015 Climate change adaptation Collaborative Efforts Many thanks to Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation

17 Get Involved and Take Action! Visit the Marvellous Moraine website Share it with your friend and family Learn about the issues Stay in touch with us Participate in the 2015 Review process