Have you ever thought, “Is there a solution for fresh air, clean water, local food, and a thriving economy with great jobs?” Yes there is, and for us here in Ontario, it’s the Greenbelt. Ontario’s Greenbelt was established February 5th, 2005. It’s a 2 million acre (809 thousand hectare) solution for all Ontarians. The Greenbelt goes as far north as Tobermory and extends 325 km from Rice Lake in Northumberland County, east of Toronto, to the Niagara River, west of Toronto. It’s even larger then PEI (1.4 million acres).
The Greenbelt’s purpose is to protect environmentally delicate areas, and productive farmlands from urban sprawl and development. There are approximately 5,500 farms in the Greenbelt. It preserves agricultural lands that produce fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, beef, pork, poultry, sheep and lambs, as well as mushrooms, maple syrup and grapes, used to make prize- winning wines. The list just goes on and on. On average, food travels 2500 km before it arrives in Ontario. Food from the Greenbelt travels less then 250 km to reach us, reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions. The average farm in the Greenbelt is 33% smaller then an average Ontario farm, but the lands are richer, producing 12% more income. This is why Ontario’s Greenbelt is our solution. Producing 161,000 full- time jobs and $9.1 billion in …show more content…
More than 50% of the residents of Toronto take advantage of the endless recreation possibilities in the Greenbelt like hiking, camping, skiing, fruit-picking, wine-tasting, spas and much more! Trails like the Bruce Trail, an 885 km hiking trail would take 30 – 60 days to finish. The Niagara Section of this trail starts at Queenston Heights, an important battlefield in the War of 1812. The newest trail will open in 2015 – the Greenbelt Route, a 600 km biking route that travels through six Greenbelt
The Greenbelt’s purpose is to protect environmentally delicate areas, and productive farmlands from urban sprawl and development. There are approximately 5,500 farms in the Greenbelt. It preserves agricultural lands that produce fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, beef, pork, poultry, sheep and lambs, as well as mushrooms, maple syrup and grapes, used to make prize- winning wines. The list just goes on and on. On average, food travels 2500 km before it arrives in Ontario. Food from the Greenbelt travels less then 250 km to reach us, reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions. The average farm in the Greenbelt is 33% smaller then an average Ontario farm, but the lands are richer, producing 12% more income. This is why Ontario’s Greenbelt is our solution. Producing 161,000 full- time jobs and $9.1 billion in …show more content…
More than 50% of the residents of Toronto take advantage of the endless recreation possibilities in the Greenbelt like hiking, camping, skiing, fruit-picking, wine-tasting, spas and much more! Trails like the Bruce Trail, an 885 km hiking trail would take 30 – 60 days to finish. The Niagara Section of this trail starts at Queenston Heights, an important battlefield in the War of 1812. The newest trail will open in 2015 – the Greenbelt Route, a 600 km biking route that travels through six Greenbelt