Members of Sustainable Vaughan met with the Greenbelt Alliance and Environmental Defence today. These organizations are two of the provinces strongest advocates fighting against urban sprawl and unsustainable development. Both groups are supporting Sustainable Vaughan’s position that there should be a 5 year moratorium on expanding the urban boundary onto white belt lands. With their help, Sustainable Vaughan’s message will be able to reach a broader audience. An audience that includes planners, environmentalists, conservationists, politicians, celebrities, and concerned members of the public who have become tired of being denied a say in how their city should be developed.
Environmental Defence has also agreed to provide Sustainable Vaughan with funding. We now have a permanent, Vaughan focused environmental coalition.
We are also in the process of contacting the provincial government regarding the official plan. We don’t believe they are aware of the compressed time frame that has been imposed on us by the city. We are informing the province that the process has been undemocratic. The average citizen would not be able to digest and offer comments regarding a 300 page report in two weeks.
Three things you can do to support Sustainable Vaughan.
- Spread the word.
Talk to your neighbours about the issue and send this email to any friends who you feel would be interested in being added to our mailing list. Tell them to email us back to be added.
- Get informed.
Sustainable Vaughan is hosting an Information Session and Q & A on Thursday May 13th at the Legion Hall in Woodbridge, 60 Legion Court Rd. This can seem like a complex issue, but it is not. We want to make sure citizens have the opportunity to understand what Sustainable Vaughan is opposing. Citizens can then make up their own minds if they wish to help support us. This also provides you with the opportunity to meet your friends and neighbours who are banding together over this issue.
- Come out & make your voice heard.
The City is holding a statutory Public Hearing for the draft Official Plan Monday, May 17th from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City of Vaughan, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr.
This is our chance to be heard. Sustainable Vaughan is getting experts and non experts to voice their opinions, knowledge and concerns over the proposed urban expansion. Please get in touch with us if you want to be stand up and speak out. We are drafting a list of issues we would like the city to hear. We will also forward a script if you want to simply tell the city that you support this organization and the proposal we have put forward.
Sustainable Vaughan 