Protecting Our Future
Starts With Expanding the Greenbelt
From the Oak Ridges Moraine to the shores of Lake Erie, we are a coalition of grassroots organizations who have come together to protect water & inform the westward expansion of the Greenbelt.
The Province of Ontario's Places to Grow Act is pushing significant urban growth over the next 20 years in this region. These lands & waters are expected to accommodate almost half a million more residents. That's one third more residents by 2041.
The Province does not currently have a plan on how to sustain this growth. The Greenbelt West Coalition proposes we protect the water resources and farmland that sustain the people & economy in this region in perpetuity.
We made a map for Greenbelt expansion we believe in.
We are proud to share the map, adjoining policies, and current signatories who support our vision for expanding the Greenbelt west.
When we protect water, we protect the land and know the future is brighter for everyone who calls Ontario home.
Actions you can take to help expand the Greenbelt
Sign the Petition
Ontario land, waters, and species are under threat. Sign this petition to tell the Province of Ontario you support a bigger, better Greenbelt expansion and meaningful protections for the environment!
Endorse Our Map
We believe expanding the Greenbelt west must be taken seriously by the Province of Ontario. See & endorse the Greenbelt expansion map our coalition and others are organizing behind.
Share Your Vision for the Greenbelt
When more voices come together to create a collective vision, the result is more inclusive & meaningful. Share your vision for Greenbelt expansion with us.
Farmland, natural spaces, and critical water sources are threatened by multiple pressures across southwestern Ontario. We aim to protect these areas from inappropriate development & other pressures by working together across sectors & political boundaries to expand the Greenbelt meaningfully.
Critical areas for protection include…
The Paris-Galt Moraine
The Paris-Galt Moraine is an important geological feature in Wellington, Waterloo, & Brant counties. It provides critical pathways for rain & snowmelt to recharge groundwater aquifers through infiltration. The moraine also naturally purifies the water along the way. It is currently under threat from aggregate extraction & development pressure.
The Haldimand Tract
The Haldimand Tract is an area granted to the Six Nations Confederacy in 1784 that runs 6 miles on either side of the Grand River. Land claims are still unresolved on this tract, including a development moratorium from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Council. These lands & waters must be protected from further development & nation-to-nation commitements fulfilled.
The Grand River & its tributaries
The Grand River is one of the defining characteristics of southwestern Ontario’s landscape, providing habitat, livelihoods, drinking water, recreation, and spiritual services for over a million people. Climate change impacts to the river are being exacerbated by rampant development in the Grand River Watershed.
Groundwater Resources
Over 2.5 million Ontarians rely on groundwater across urban and rural communities alike. Groundwater quality & quantity are being impacted in southern Ontario from multiple sources, including aggregate extraction, overdevelopment, poor policy protections, and more. Groundwater is a finite resource that needs more consideration & protection in the anthropocene.
Are critical protection areas missing from this list?
Help us build a holistic picture of how Greenbelt expansion could be improved by sharing your vision for the Greenbelt West!
Our Organization
We are people who live, play, dream, and work in the Greenbelt and surrounding areas. We believe in protecting these lands and waters for all forms of life that calls it home, now and into the future.