Stop Urban Sprawl

Sunday, 11 January 2009

Background  In the 1970s, the federal and provincial governments expropriated 16,000+ hectares (160 square kilometres) of prime farmland and greenspace in east Markham and north Pickering. This land was acquired to support a second major airport for the GTA. The airport plan met strong community opposition (People or Planes) and the plan was abandoned in 1975 as uneconomical. Today, 11,000+ hectares (110 + km2) of this land remains in public ownership and another 2,000 hectares is temporarily protected by agricultural easements. The provincial & federal lands in North Pickering and East Markham contain: 1. Beautiful Valleys & Streams (Little Rouge River, Duffins Creek, Ganetsekiagon Creek, Urfe Creek)  2. Fertile Class 1 and 2 farmland and Historic Rural Hamlets (e.g Whitevale, Claremont)  3. Sensitive Aquifers, Wetlands and Woodlands  4. Public Hiking Trails (e.g. Seaton Trail) and Parklands  5. Important First Nation and Pioneer Cultural Heritage Sites Opportunity The "Green Door Alliance", a successful local conservation group, writes: The federal and provincial governments have a unique opportunity to ... protect and enhance a priceless heritage of a scale, quality and character of which no other major city in the world can boast. We have a magnificent public asset. As we have learned many times over, however, such a resource can be squandered easily: once it is lost, it is gone forever. Imminent Threats 3000 hectare Agricultural Preserve - The Town of Pickering is considering urban sprawl on land that was set aside as an Agricultural Preserve between the Rouge River and Duffins Creek. Seaton and East Markham - The province might sell or trade its priceless public lands to influential developers before proper conservation plans and land-use safeguards are established. Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner has strongly criticized the province for already selling public lands around the Rouge River without adequate environmental or public review. Pickering Airport - The Greater Toronto Airport Authority is busy, behind the scenes, trying to resurrect plans for a major 24 hour a day airport in North Pickering.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 17 February 2009 )