While a bag of stones or gravel may look fairly benign, the process of getting it can be anything but. Aggregate is mined from the earth, either dug out of pits or blasted out of quarries. This process can have many environmental impacts. Creating pits or quarries for the extraction of stone, sand, gravel and shale removes virtually all natural vegetation, top soil, and subsoil. It leads to the loss of existing animal and plant species and by removing their habitats. Adjacent ecosystems are also affected by noise, dust, pollution and water issues.

Artwork by Jill Price

Interesting find on the net today - Artist Jill Price traveled from Barrie to London and back snapping photos at 90 km/hour to document the landscapes that sustain us. A fly-over in 2009 of this fast-growing area quietly revealed to her that “farming, despite its hardships and controversies is still the fabric of our society.” Even with strong public support in southern Ontario behind curbing sprawl and planning better for growth, Barrie/Simcoe County (outside the Greenbelt) is the new epicentre for what critics call a relentless and uncoordinated drive to plunk large developments on greenfields and agricultural lands . Many residents and Ontarians wonder, will these rural lands last? If not, what does the future hold?  Price’s artworks, a mash up of paint, fabric and digital imagery give us a glimpse into the future by exploring and communicating how urbanization is changing nature’s light, colours and spaces and how technology is changing how we acquire and work the landscape. 

Forget long line-ups at voting booths in your local elementary school, The Reel Greenbelt video competition voting opportunity is one click away!  We have a cartoon, a Greenbelt inspired rap, and many more original cinematographic masterpieces to inspire you to get out in Ontario. So get that popcorn ready, follow the link, and cast your vote for the ultimate Reel Greenbelt winner!

Photos Courtesy of The Stop Community Food Centre

It’s good to know that crops from different countries around the world can grow well right here in Toronto and Ontario’s Greenbelt. The Stop Community Food Centre and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre have reported 2010 as an amazing growing season for ethno-cultural crops such as okra, callaloo, fuzzy melon, eggplant, and yard long beans as they deliver on their “New Crop Animation” project, which tests new ethno-cultural crops for production in Southern Ontario. Members of different ethnic groups in Toronto happily received produce at the Vineland growing site and The Stop, expressing their approval of the freshness and good quality.

In 1947 when town planners sat down to design a practical development plan for Greater Copenhagen, they discovered that their sketches oddly resembled that of a hand.  The ‘palm’ rested on the already existing city centre and the skeletal ‘fingers’ pointed to future development along existing transportation infrastructure. Unsurprisingly dubbed the ‘Finger Plan’ in 1947, protected green wedges between the fingers ensured the residents of each fingered suburb would be able to access nature, woodlands, and pastoral landscape. Over time it became apparent that the Plan could not be successful without legal status and in 2007 it was incorporated into Denmark’s Planning Act. Copenhagen has also credited the Finger Plan for its ability to avoid traffic congestion commonly found in other big cities—the transit system was built along the length of the fingers to easily transport the population to the downtown core.

Hats off to Toronto Star reporter Phinjo Gombu for a great, in-depth article on how municipalities in the GTA now plan to grow over the next 20 years, after conforming to new planning rules contained in the Greenbelt and Places to Grow legislation which re-direct growth, protect important resources like clean water, and encourage complete live/work communities.

In the Star’s comparison of future growth in Markham and Mississauga it is obvious that political will within individual cities and regions is still a major influence on planning outcomes. Though lands within the Greenbelt are permanently protected, the degree to which sprawl is tempered and greenfields paved over - outside the Greenbelt, varies from city to city. Keep your eyes on Markham as the city to watch. In its rise from sprawl, Markham is pioneering a new growth model to intensify suburban communities as well as its downtown core, and last year the City moved to protect farmland lying just outside the Greenbelt that they could have chosen to develop instead. The City was also the first municipality in Canada to commit to purchasing LFP certified local sustainable farm products to serve in their cafeteria.

When Gold Meets Cold

January 14-30, 2011

For three weeks in January the Niagara Region is transformed into a wintry wonderland, celebrating one of Canada's most cherished products, Ontario Icewine.

© Niagara Wine Festivals

Get rid of January’s chill submerged in Niagara’s ice culture. This Greenbelt destination offers you sustainable travel alternatives, secret trails shared by locals, and the chance to taste so many icewines you might lose a (sweet) tooth. Everything Niagara is winter white and hot right now!

  Niagara’s Icewine Festival begins tomorrow and runs Jan 14-30th. Homegrown grapes are harvested in sub zero temperatures, producing a concentrated, sweet fermented drink that first made the region famous. We can’t seem to resist Niagara VQA with sales jumping and proud words spoken by our very own LCBO. Check out festival activities at: www.icewinefestival.com/page/icewine_home

We need it after last night's game.