Securing Ontario: A Public Vision for the Greenbelt Review

A blueprint to protect Ontario’s water, farmland, and climate resilience in the 2025 Greenbelt Review.

St. Jacobs Farmers Market

This backgrounder frames the 2025 Greenbelt Review as a critical moment to safeguard Ontario’s water, farmland, and climate resilience. It warns of government inaction on key threats while laying out a clear path forward grounded in evidence and public interest.

Key highlights:

  • Water security: Greenbelt supplies clean drinking water to 7 million Ontarians; $3.2B in annual ecosystem services
  • Farmland protection: Ontario lost 1.5M acres (175 acres/day) between 1996–2016; Greenbelt farmland anchors $4.1B in GDP
  • Climate action: Stores 87M tonnes of carbon, preventing $366M in annual climate damages
  • Essential outcomes for the review:
    • Maintain or expand Greenbelt boundaries — no swaps or removals
    • Stop sprawl and align housing with existing infrastructure
    • Honour Treaty Rights and UNDRIP commitments
    • Strengthen enforcement on aggregate, sprawl, and pollution

The report also tackles myths vs. reality about the housing crisis, showing that Ontario already has ample land supply and that zoning—not the Greenbelt—is the barrier to affordability. The review, it argues, is a test of leadership and a chance to secure long-term resilience for all Ontarians.

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Celebrating 20 Years of Ontario's Greenbelt

Video Length:
1:34

For two decades, the Greenbelt has protected precious farmland, forests, and wetlands, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey—farmers, conservationists, local businesses, and all who cherish this incredible landscape. Here’s to the next 20 years of protecting, enjoying, and growing the Greenbelt!