Sustainable Cobourg supports Greenbelt expansion

Northumberland Today,
Valerie MacDonald,
February 22 2016

NORTHUMBERLAND – Sustainable Cobourg will host an evening on Feb. 24 that looks at growing the Greenbelt in Northumberland.

On the heels of a provincial government review of planning legislation under Municipal Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Lou Rinaldi (MPP for Northumberland – Quinte West), the Oak Ridges Moraine Partnership has asked Sustainable Cobourg to support the expansion.

According to a map, the proposed expansion would spread the Greenbelt from the Durham Region border south of the Oak Ridges Moraine all the way east beyond the Northumberland border – but north of the towns and villages along Lake Ontario.

The Partnership includes Earthroots, Ontario Nature, Storm Coalition and EcoSpark, according to information provided by Sustainable Cobourg vice-president Jayne Finn during an interview.

“We have endorsed it,” Finn replied when asked about the local organization’s stand.

Such an expansion would protect lands to produce food and natural habitat for animals, birds, etc. And it would protect the water resources, too, she said.

“We’d like to see the Greenbelt expand as much as possible,” Finn said.

The expansion through Northumberland is among the 87 recommendations issued by the Provincial Land Use Advisory Panel headed by David Crombie, Finn continued.

To that end, Sustainable Cobourg’s Feb. 24 meeting at The Loft on 201 Division St., Cobourg at 7 p.m. will help people “visualize the future of Northumberland County,” states a flyer about the event.

There will be a film, discussion panel and networking, and the event is free of charge.

vmacdonald@postmedia.com

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