The Greenbelt Plan identifies where urbanization should not occur in order to provide permanent protection to the agricultural land base and the ecological features and functions occurring on this landscape. The Greenbelt Plan includes lands within, and builds upon the ecological protections provided by, the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.

The Greenbelt Plan contains three types of geographic specific policies that apply to specific lands within the Protected Countryside designation. One of the geographic specific policy areas is the Natural System. This system provides a continuous and permanent land base necessary to support human and ecological health in the Greenbelt and beyond.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is developing a series of technical papers to assist municipalities and others in the implementation of the policies for lands in the Natural System of the Protected Countryside and the application of some of the technical requirements contained in other sections of the Greenbelt Plan. The MNR is producing the technical papers in support of the Greenbelt Plan. The papers were modeled after similar technical papers that were prepared in support of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (2002).

This notification deals with three (3) technical papers that provide a series of technical criteria to assist municipalities in identifying and protecting Key Natural Heritage Features that are listed in Section 3.2.4 (Natural System) of the Greenbelt Plan.

The technical papers are listed below. Current drafts of these papers can be accessed by using the weblinks provided below.

Technical Papers:

Paper 1 – Technical Definitions and Criteria for Key Natural Heritage Features in the Natural Heritage System of the Protected Countryside Area of the Greenbelt Plan (2005)

Paper 2 – Technical Definitions and Criteria for Significant Woodlands in the Natural Heritage System of the Protected Countryside Area of the Greenbelt Plan (2005)

Paper 3 – Technical Process for the Identification of Significant Habitat of Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species in the Natural Heritage System of the Protected Countryside Area of the Greenbelt Plan (2005)

In the future, the MNR will be developing additional technical papers in support of the Greenbelt Plan, including significant wildlife habitat, and natural heritage evaluation. These products will be posted on the Environmental Registry as they become available.

To provide the users of the Greenbelt Plan, such as planning authorities, consultants and other groups and individuals with technical information and clarification on Key Natural Heritage Features that are listed in the Greenbelt Plan.

While the technical papers will assist in the implementation and application of the policies of the Greenbelt plan, they will not expand the scope of the Plan or any other related plan.

The papers are designed for the particular ecological needs of the Greenbelt Plan area. Although they may contain useful information that could help develop guidance material in other parts of Ontario, they should not be directly transferred or applied to other jurisdictions. Any technical guidelines or standards of this kind must be developed and applied in the context of the unique environmental, social and economic attributes of the area being considered.

The following weblinks provide supporting information about this notice:

Greenbelt Technical Paper 1:
http://publicdocs.mnr.gov.on.ca/View.asp?Document_ID=14966&Attachment_ID=31521

Greenbelt Technical Paper 2:
http://publicdocs.mnr.gov.on.ca/View.asp?Document_ID=14966&Attachment_ID=31522

Greenbelt Technical Paper 3:
http://publicdocs.mnr.gov.on.ca/View.asp?Document_ID=14966&Attachment_ID=31523

Greenbelt Plan on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s website:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page189.aspx

This proposal was posted for a 60 day public review and comment period starting September 19, 2008. Comments were to be received by November 18, 2008.

All comments received during the comment period are being considered as part of the decision-making process by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Please Note: All comments and submissions received have become part of the public record.

Denis LeMoire
Municipal Planning Advisor
Ministry of Natural Resources
Field Services Division
Southern Region
300 Water Street
Floor 4
Robinson Place South Tower
Peterborough Ontario
K9J 8M5
Phone: (705) 755-1910
Fax: (705) 755-3292