This is the first in a three-part series of guest columns from the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition (SCGC) leading up to An Evening with Margaret Atwood, a sold-out fundraising event slated for Oct. 28. The second instalment will be published next Saturday.
This was a tough summer for the provincial government, politically. The Greenbelt land to developer friends scandal blazed through news cycles thanks to an Auditor General investigation, an Integrity Commissioner report, intrepid and dogged journalism, and a referral from the OPP to the RCMP for criminal investigation.
These investigations detail a process in which Greenbelt lands were removed at the direction and for the benefit of a select group of billionaire developers, who happen to also be among the biggest donors to the Ontario Progressive Conservative party, as well as attendees at family events hosted by the Premier.
The reports read like crime novels. There’s talk of deleted emails, secretive processes and warnings to not discuss or disclose activity outside the select group of insiders, calls to developers and their agents using personal or ‘burner’ phones, and brown manilla envelopes detailing developer interests pushed across tables at industry events to key provincial staff.
In the aftermath, as the dust settles, it’s become clear that developers ultimately stood to gain several billions of dollars in profit due to these changes, with the value of their lands jumping from a few hundred million to over $8 billion.
In response to these backroom deals, the public and organizations that act on behalf of the public, such as our own, started to come together, angered by the clear special dealing of this government. People do not like public goods being used for private gain — think 407 or Hydro sell offs for example. The Greenbelt is no different.
Many people don’t realize that part of the Greenbelt extends to Simcoe County, enveloping the Holland Marsh. The Niagara Escarpment, too, is on our western border, and the Oak Ridges Moraine is on our southwestern border.
Also, two-thirds of Lake Simcoe’s shorelines are included by Greenbelt protection, making the health of the lake — one of Simcoe County’s premier natural features — contingent on the protections the Greenbelt affords.
Politically, three of Simcoe County’s MPPs were a part of the cabinet that signed off on the plan to cut up the Greenbelt: Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey, Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop and York Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney.
Further, none of our five MPPs came out against this plan publicly, despite past promises and grand words about protecting Lake Simcoe, the Greenbelt, and our watersheds. The people were expecting leadership from local MPPs and were left wanting and disappointed.
Leadership instead came from regular citizens, NGOs and Indigenous communities.
The Chiefs of Ontario took a principled stand demanding all Greenbelt lands be returned immediately — this at a time when most municipal councils were silent on the issue.
Indigenous elders and leaders spoke at local rallies and public events standing beside SCGC and others demanding treaties be respected, lands be returned and corruption be extinguished from our politics.
Elder Myiingan Minonaakwhe (Jeff Monague) spoke with such power and truth about the situation at SCGC’s public forum on the Greenbelt, attendees responded with a standing ovation. That was the leadership people craved, but didn’t receive from their government.
Across the SCGC network, which reaches into every municipality in the region with over 45 member groups, everyday citizens, civil society groups, naturalist clubs and farm organizations wrote letters, visited offices, hosted rallies, made phone calls and delivered leaflets to protect something that means something to Ontarians and especially to Simcoe County.
That community power and unified voice in concert with other provincial and regional voices led to the government committing to return the lands to the Greenbelt.
We at the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition want people to remember how much can be done with community power. It was a victory for people, by people. This is why local networks like SCGC are important, because they empower people to fight for the common good.
And with impacts of climate change worsening, Lake Simcoe on the verge of becoming salt toxic within this generation, over 300 acres of Ontario’s prime farmland disappearing daily and Treaty rights still not being met, there is still a lot of work to be done. Community power is needed now more than ever.
As such, SCGC will be hosting a fundraiser with Margaret Atwood. Funds raised will be put towards strengthening this local network, keeping policy makers accountable, and advocating for stronger protection of local landscapes and watersheds.
While the event is sold out, you can still make charitable donations to help us continue to fight on your behalf. Contributions given before Oct. 28 will be matched by Margaret Atwood herself, up to $10,000. You can make your charitable donation here. Together, we can make a difference.
Margaret Prophet is the executive director of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition.
