A thriving Greenbelt is a thriving Ontario.
The Greenbelt Foundation applauds the Government of Ontario’s decision to reverse the removal of land from Ontario’s Greenbelt, signaling a return to permanent protection of its critical water, natural heritage and agricultural systems. Our Ontario Greenbelt contains the productive farmlands that feed us, the landscapes that clean our water, the trees that filter our air, and supports the health and economies of numerous communities big and small in the most densely populated area of the country.
The incredible outpouring of support for the Greenbelt and the Foundation’s work over the past ten months has been a testament to the strength of our community and a reminder of the place of importance that the Greenbelt holds in the lives of every Ontarian. We thank each community member, partner, advocate and citizen who gave voice to the necessity of permanently protecting these lands.
The Greenbelt’s agricultural system of connected, working farmland is the cornerstone of southern Ontario’s rural economy and provides residents of the Greater Golden Horseshoe with a reliable and diverse source of local food and drink. It is home to the province’s only two specialty crop areas – the Holland Marsh and the Niagara Tender Fruit and Grape Area – whose fertile soils and unique climate conditions allow Greenbelt farmers to grow crops that can’t be grown anywhere else.
As Ontario grows, we will need even more of what the Greenbelt provides to support strong, climate resilient communities. The Greenbelt Foundation will continue to work with partners, including the Ontario government, to conduct research and execute programs that strengthen the Greenbelt and all it provides.