UPDATE: A Disappointing Vote and a Dangerous Precedent for the ORM and Greenbelt

We are deeply disappointed by the outcome of last week’s vote, where Whitchurch-Stouffville Council passed a motion 4–3 (Lovatt, Kroon, Smith, and Bartley in favour; Acton, Upton, and Sherban opposed) to approve a staff report recommending residential intensification in the primary conservation zones—Natural Core and Natural Linkage areas—of the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) and Greenbelt.

This report proposes sweeping changes to how development is managed within ORM and adjacent Greenbelt lands, effectively contravening the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act (2001). Even more concerning, it requests the use of the not-yet-passed Bill 17 to fast-track approvals ahead of the official 10-year consolidated review of the Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine, and Niagara Escarpment Conservation Plans.

There is a growing divide in this province between those who see Strong Mayor powers as a tool for streamlining governance, and those who recognize them as a dangerous and undemocratic overreach. STORM is firmly in the latter camp. Even in their intended application, Strong Mayor powers were meant to accelerate housing development within serviced, transit-connected settlement areas—not to dismantle established environmental protections like the ORMCP. Their misuse in this context undermines transparency, public trust, and the principles of good planning.

If the most troubling requests in this staff report are permitted—particularly the ability of municipalities to make so-called “minor changes” to provincial policy frameworks, we are heading toward a “Wild West” planning regimen across the ORM’s 32 municipalities. Far from responsible growth, this would weaken a consistent framework that has protected the ORM for over two decades, ignore cumulative environmental impacts, and proceed with minimal oversight or accountability.

Despite claims to the contrary, cumulative environmental impacts—or impacts not immediately visible—are very real. Since Bill 23, the province has built a planning regime around intentional environmental neglect. The mere presence of planning language referencing environmental assessment does not guarantee protection on the ground. The loss of ecological integrity in the ORM is death by a thousand cuts—and this report wields another blade.

The consequences of these development patterns are well understood and form part of what we’ve come to call “development without infrastructure.” We are concerned that the provincial reduction of development fees within settlement boundaries is now motivating municipalities like Whitchurch-Stouffville to find new ways to increase their tax base without having to provide public infrastructure and services. In this instance, we are concerned that Whitchurch-Stouffville is attempting to grow its tax base by promoting increased development outside of the settlement areas and in conservation areas.

 Given the vague and unenforceable nature of the proposed guidelines, if Additional Residential Units (ARUs) are not strictly regulated to support only active farms, families in need, or multigenerational homes, they will quickly become high-yield investment properties. This would inflate land values, drive speculative purchasing, and fuel a luxury market under the false banner of affordability.

Ontario desperately needs more access to genuinely affordable housing—but not at any cost, and certainly not at the expense of the ORM and Greenbelt. True affordability must go hand in hand with social and environmental justice, complete communities, and smart growth. That means focusing growth where infrastructure already exists—within serviced, transit-connected communities—and protecting natural heritage where it matters most. While this planning report claims to support farming families and aging in place, we must be clear: the lands targeted for development—Natural Core and Natural Linkage areas—are overwhelmingly composed of forests, wetlands, and headwater systems. This is not about housing for local farmers. This is about carving up the ORM and Greenbelt for short-term profit under the guise of housing solutions.

This vote makes our next steps clear. Any amendments to the Greenbelt or the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan must only occur through the official 10-year review process—not through backdoor motions, pre-emptive reports, or rushed legislation.

STORM will be sending a formal letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting an immediate meeting to clarify how the government intends to proceed with updates to the ORMCP. We will also insist that all stakeholders—including municipalities, Indigenous Nations, environmental organizations, and local residents—be given fair, transparent, and timely access to information and pre-consultation opportunities.

If that request is denied or ignored, we will escalate our response: mobilizing public scrutiny, engaging the Auditor General and Environmental Commissioner, and pursuing every legal and procedural tool available to uphold the integrity of Ontario’s environmental planning regime.