Envision Durham Important Dates |
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TONIGHT! Envision Durham Public Open House (in-person) Monday, March 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. Location: Main atrium, south of the west entrance, on the first floor of Durham Regional Headquarters (605 Rossland Road East, Whitby). Tuesday, March 7 at 11 a.m. Plan to make a delegation at this meeting! You don't have to register in advance if you're going to be in-person at Durham Regional Council Chambers. Register when you arrive. ENVISION DURHAM feedback is being collected on the draft Durham Official Plan until April 3. |
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RECAP: Motion - Impact of Greenbelt carve-outs on Durham Region and Envision Durham |
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Last week, Regional Council voted down an important motion related to the amount of new land assigned to future sprawl due to the new Greenbelt carve-outs assigned by the Province. Despite assurances from Regional Planning staff that there wouldn't be a delay in the Envision Durham timeline, Council denied themselves, and Durham residents, an opportunity to understand the impacts of adding 5000 more acres of new (farm)land to the existing 9000 acres of future urban areas contemplated for the Region. The vote breakdown is as follows… |
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If you don't like the way your councillor voted on this motion, you must reach out to them! This vote is a preview of the results we anticipate on the Durham Region Official Plan which will lock in 14,000 acres of car dependent sprawl for the Region out to 2051. To find your Regional Councillors' email addresses, download a list from HERE. |
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RECAP: Motion - Opposition to a Pickering Airport |
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The clock ran out on the Pickering Council meeting where the motion regarding withdrawing support for an airport on the Federal Lands was planned. The debate will continue this Wednesday, March 8 at 7 pm. While there are no new delegations being received, you can still support this progressive motion by attending Pickering Council Chambers and/or sending a note of support to Council. Find the meeting agenda and Motion 12.1 HERE. Emails for Pickering Councillors & Clerk: mbrenner@pickering.ca, lcook@pickering.ca, mnagy@pickering.ca, lrobinson@pickering.ca, kashe@pickering.ca, dpickles@pickering.ca, sbutt@pickering.ca, clerks@pickering.ca |
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On Wednesday evening, wear your #NoPickeringAirport buttons and T-shirts (no signs allowed in Council Chambers). |
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Be on alert for “greenwashing” in your municipality! Here's a prime example out of Clarington last week. Saving soil is a laudable goal, and we applaud and support this worldwide movement. However, it is hypocritical for the Mayor of Clarington to declare a SAVE SOIL DAY and then turn around and endorse 14,000 acres of new sprawl in Durham Region (with a disproportionate amount defaulting to his municipality). To create new subdivisions, productive soils are sealed under hard surfaces or trucked away. You cannot in good conscience be pro-soil and also be pro-urban sprawl. Mayor Foster need to demonstrate that he understands what saving soil actually means, and lead by example. (Refer to his NO vote above.) |
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(Paywall on this article. If not a G&M subscriber, please see similar content in the piece below.) |
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Letters to Editors needed! |
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Have you written a letter to your local paper recently? If not, please consider doing so this week. Keeping the story alive about what's at risk in our communities and across the province is our greatest chance at collective impact. |
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