The long-term viability of the Greenbelt depends not only on protecting lands within the Greenbelt, but effectively managing growth in the surrounding areas. This also includes land outside but adjacent to the Greenbelt because many of its agricultural and ecological systems extend beyond its boundary.
Premature development of both the whitebelt and lands on the outer side of the Greenbelt's border poses a threat to the integrity of the its agricultural and ecological systems."
Inside and Out: Sustaining Ontario’s Greenbelt finds that the area between the Greenbelt and urban growth boundaries, nicknamed the "whitebelt," contains enough land to accommodate development for several generations. However, premature development of both the whitebelt and lands on the outer side of the Greenbelt's border poses a threat to the integrity of the its agricultural and ecological systems.
To minimize encroachment of development onto the Greenbelt, this report recommends that the province and municipalities support the development of compact and transit-oriented communities. It also recommends that planning authorities create complete communities with a diversity of housing types to support livable communities for the region's residents while protecting the Greenbelt, as well as the Greater Golden Horseshoe's agricultural and ecological systems.
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