Sustainable Brant

2012-08-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sustainable Brant

Matter: local awareness and understanding of farmland and environmental health issues

Concern: farmland grab, waste reduction, incineration, and pollution

Goal: empowerment of residents to address farmland and pollution issues

Residents are being overwhelmed by developers and off shore investors, and forced to accept developents that do not fi t with their vision for Brant County. Sustainable Brant helps residents to organize to protect their own communities and to work together to protect Brant County’s farmland, air andwater, and our rural communities. For more information, contact sustainablebrant@gmail.com

Brant/Brantford "Greenbelt": Development Pressures

2011-05-17T05:18:00.000-07:00

The Brant/Brantford Greenbelt

“If people indentify with their local greenbelt, they will protect it. “ (Key message from the Global Greenbelt Conference, March, 2011)

In 1980, the Ontario government created the first “greenbelt” in Ontario – a swath of land in Brant County, surrounding Brantford. Under provincial Bill 120, the province set aside an area for “permanent agricultural and rural related uses”. See the attached map. Brant/Brantford “Greenbelt”

This “greenbelt”, created after negotiation between the City, the County and the Province, was intended to set an example for other communities with development squabbles on farmland on the edge of cities.

The Brant/Brantford “greenbelt” lies only a few miles away from the western edge of the Ontario Greenbelt. At its northeastern edge, the Brant/Brantford greenbelt is only one mile from the provincial greenbelt!

Developers argue that the Brant/Brantford greenbelt has expired, and they have been busy buying up farmland and presenting development plans and maps to Brant County council. One developer’s map would pave over all of the farmland between Brantford and the western edge of the Ontario Greenbelt. Map

Many wonder why the Province excluded its very first “greenbelt” from the Ontario Greenbelt? Below is one proposed expansion of the Ontario Greenbelt, but it does not go far enough. There is tremendous development pressure just south of Branford, to the west of the proposed expansion of the Greenbelt. Map

Over 2,500 people have signed a petition to expand the Ontario Greenbelt in Brant County. Link. Please sign our petition and help us to protect Ontario’s first greenbelt.

Radio Press Release - Election Survey Results

2010-10-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sustainable Brant

Election Survey Results

Sustainable Brant members are pleased to report a high return on their election survey.Candidates answered 17 questions based on two themes:

1) Protecting the ecology of our county: air and water quality, prime farmland and heritage buildings; promoting local food , waste diversion and sustainable transportation, and

2) Fostering democracy: banning corporate and union donations, enabling delegations to council, fostering more transparency at council and keeping sewer and water infrastructure public.

In general candidates strongly opposed annexation of county lands by Brantford, and
amalgamation of the county and city. There was good support for local food initiatives, preserving heritage buildings, improving waste diversion efforts and for more openness and dialogue with ratepayers.

Some candidates showed interest in learning more about more ecological practices in other municipalities. These practices include: waste diversion, banning on the spread of sewage sludge on farmland, protecting farmland, and more sustainable ways in other communities of moving people and goods (rather than building the proposed highway 424).

A number of the candidates oppose the privatization of water and sewer infrastructure, would like to see stringent monitoring by the county of air emissions from the new brick factory at the airport, and do not find the Green Hub process to be clear, open or democratic.
None of the candidates who replied declared that they accepted donations from corporations or unions.

Very few candidates addressed the possible shipment of Brant’s garbage to Six Nations to be incinerated or local food procurement.

To get a good grasp of candidates’ opinions, check out:
http://sustainablebrant.blogspot.com/2010/10/candidate-election-survey-results.html

Sustainable Brant

(sustainablebrant@gmail.com, Tel: 519-647-0307)

http://sustainablebrant.blogspot.com/

Brant County Election Survey

2010-10-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Food not Sprawl
Vote October 25

Your elected representatives will decide on a number of key issues on your behalf. Will they represent your views?

We asked candidates questions based on two themes:

1) Protecting the ecology of our county : air and water quality, prime farmland and heritage buildings; promoting local food , waste diversion and sustainable transportation, and

2) Fostering democracy : banning corporate and union donations, enabling delegations to council, fostering more transparency at council and keeping sewer and water infrastructure public.

Read the replies: sustainablebrant.blogspot.com

Will our economic development be based on:

fostering Brant County as a “ food basket ” - building a local, healthy food economy OR on making Brant County a “garbage hub ” - accepting garbage and toxic materials from other communities?

How will farmers compete with the foreign land grab in Brant County? Will Brant become another Mississauga ?

Will council protect our heritage one-room schools and community centres throughout the county?

Will council ensure that we do not accept “dirty industry ”?

Follow councilor's records. Here is a sampling:

Recorded vote on residential development of the Innes-Welton farms;

Councilors voting to protect prime farmland : : Powell, Atfield, Simons, Schmidt, Haggart and Gatward

Council or s voting for development on prime farmland : Eddy, Wheat , Hodge, Chambers, an d Coleman. [Mar3/09 ]

Restricting Delegations: we convinced council to defeat a motion from Councilor Chambers that would “restrict delegations that have a pp eared previously at Committee or Council meetings from speaking on the same issue”. Defeated. (Apr. 7, 2009 Council minutes).

Check out the candidates: We must be vigilant due to development pressure on our council. Ward 5 residents: Although your candidates have been acclaimed, you can still vote for Mayor.

Vote October 25, 2010

Sustainable Brant: We protect health, preserve farmland and our rural heritage buildings, and foster a local food based economy.

Contact sustainablebrant@gmail.com , 519-647-0307

County of Brant: Paris Agricultural Society Debate

2010-10-21T18:24:00.001-07:00

Please note: The video may take a little while to load and begin playing. Please be patient.

Video recorded by ArcPro HD Video Productions

County of Brant: Cainsville Debate

2010-10-21T15:20:00.001-07:00

Please note: The video may take a little while to load and begin playing. Please be patient.
Video recorded by ArcPro HD Video Productions

Candidate Election Survey Results

2010-10-20T14:59:00.001-07:00

Please CLICK HERE for a summary of the survey questions.

Where indicated click on the candidates name to view their survey results.

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR
(1 to be elected)

Ronald E.F. Eddy              [no response]
R.R.#1 Paris, ON
519-442-2040
E-mail: ron.eddy@brant.ca
Hugh (Roy) Haggart [survey results]
61 Bradbury Crescent
Paris, ON N3L 4E2
519-442-6198
E-mail: haggartformayor@bell.net
John Weaver      [survey results]
123 West River Road
Paris, ON N3L 3E2
519-442-7757
E-mail: jweaverfamily@gmail.com
Shawn Pratt         [survey results]
58 West River Street
Paris, N3L 2V1
Home: 519-442-6104
Work: 519-442-3334
Fax: 519-442-3340
E-mail: shawnpratt4mayor@gmail.com
Steve Comisky     [survey results]
9 Pinehill Drive
RR 4, Brantford, ON N3T 5L7
519-758-4466 or 519-752-1007
E-mail: stevecomisky1@hotmail.com

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 1
(2 to be elected)

John Wheat [survey results]
25 West Street
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1648
Steve Schmitt [survey results]
317 McLean School Road
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1759
E-mail: schmellio@sympatico.ca
Deborah André [survey results]
12 Main Street North, P.O. Box 417
St. George, ON N0E 1N0
519-448-1889
E-mail: deborah.andre@sympatico.ca

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 2
(2 to be elected)

Thecla Ross [survey results]
18 St. Patrick Street
Paris, ON N3L 1P7
519-442-4798
E-mail: theclaross@sympatico.ca
Don H. Cardy [survey results]
11 St. Patrick Street
Paris, ON N3L 1P6
519-761-2510
E-mail: don.cardy28@gmail.com
Shirley Simons [survey results]
61 MacPherson Drive
Paris, N3L 4C9
519-442-3550
shirleysimons@rogers.com
John Timon [survey results]
74 William Street
Paris, N3L 1L9
519-442-0833
E-mail john.timon@hotmail.com

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 3
(2 to be elected)

Clifford D. Atfield [survey results]
42 Amelia Street
Paris, ON N3L 1Z6
519-442-6041
E-mail: wingsc42@sympatico.ca
Larry S. Jones [survey results]
107 Hillside Avenue
Paris, ON N3L 3L4
519-302-0426
E-mail: larryjones@rogers.com
Murray Powell [survey results]
7 Mount Elgin Street
Paris, ON N3L 2G5
519-442-3863
E-mail: murray.powell@yahoo.ca
Gary Fitzpatrick [response]
131 Hillside Avenue
Paris, ON N3L 3L4
519-442-9651
E-mail: garsuefitz@bell.net

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 4
(2 to be elected)

Robert Chambers [no response]
144 Fairfield Road
R.R.3 Harley N0E 1E0
519-449-2633
E-mail: ginseng@silomail.com
Dave Mudge [no response]
341 Seventh Concession Road
R.R.1 Harley N0E 1E0
519-424-9024 or 1-877-724-9024
E-mail: davemudgeharley@hotmail.com
David Miller [survey results]
15 Sixth Concesion Road
Brantford, ON N3T 5L7
519-449-1240
E-mail: jedamiller@sympatico.ca

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 5
(2 to be elected)

Brian Coleman [Survey Results]
10 Brant County Rd 18
R.R.7 Brantford N3T 5L9
519-753-2798
E-mail: brian.coleman@rogers.blackberry.net
Joan Gatward [no response]
7 Malcolm Street
Oakland, ON N0E 1L0
519-446-0060
E-mail: jgatward@sympatico.ca

SURVEY OF TRUSTEES
Responses from Candidates for School Trustee

Incineration Press Release

2010-03-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Press Release

Incineration: A Wise Choice?

Brant County is considering incineration as a way to deal with waste. Would it be a wise choice? Laurier Brantford’s Sustainability Centre and Sustainable Brant are hosting a public forum on incineration/gasification of municipal waste. We’re learning from other communities that successfully defeated incineration or gasification proposals and won awards for reducing, recyling and composting their waste.

Liz Benneian, founder of the Ontario Zero Waste Coalition and president of Oakvillegreen Conservation Association will discuss incineration on April 8 at 7 p.m. in the Carnegie Building, 73 George Street in room 206.

Benneian notes that Halton Region had proposed to spend $800 million to build an incinerator in that Region but changed direction after significant public resistance over the cost, human health and environmental concerns. “Oakvillegreen was pleased to take the lead on convincing Halton Region that burning garbage was not the best way to deal with waste,” says Benneian. She notes the Province of Ontario has committed itself to Zero Waste through the recent Waste Diversion Act review. Zero Waste is a philosophy for dealing with waste that relies on waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Currently the County of Brant is considering building an incinerator/gasification facility near Powerline Road and Oak Park Road.

For more information call Ella Haley at 519-647-0040.

Liz Benneian, president of Oakvillegreen Conservation Association, is a former journalist and newspaper editor who has worked in Europe and Canada. Since 2004, she has been a full-time, volunteer environmental advocate. Under her leadership Oakvillegreen, successfully fought plans to build an incinerator in Halton, convinced the Province to turn 675 acres slated for development into two new conservation areas, stopped plans to put a paved pathway through a critical migratory bird stopover area, got a Town ban on pesticides and secured a bylaw to stop developers from clear cutting trees. During the past two years, Liz has been travelling around the province teaching grassroots groups how to become more effective advocates through Organize To Win seminars. In 2007, Liz was awarded both Oakville's Individual Community Spirit Award and the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award for outstanding contributions to her community. Last June, she was chosen as Earth Day Canada's National Hometown Hero for 2009 and in February of 2010 she received an award from the Ontario Heritage Trust in recognition for her success in conserving the Province’s natural heritage.

Incineration In Brant County Information Night

2010-03-30T12:55:00.001-07:00

Brant County is considering spending millions of tax $$ to build an incinerator.
Is that the best way to deal with garbage?

Free Public Forum
Thursday, April 8
Doors open 7 p.m. Carnegie Building
Room 206, 73 George St., Brantford
With: Liz Benneian President, Oakvillegreen Conservation Association
Founder, Ontario ZeroWaste Coalition
Recipient, Earth Day Canada’s National Hometown Hero Award

Oakvillegreen successfully fought an $800 million incinerator in Halton Region.

For more information contact Ella at 519-647-0040.

Brant can Learn from Election Reform in Toronto

2009-12-04T05:04:00.000-08:00

Election Reform Plan Not Enough

By Royson James, The Toronto Star, November 27 2009

Hallelujah! Corporate and union donations are just a step away from being banned from Toronto elections – and just in time for the anticipated titanic mayoral race of 2010. That means, if George Smitherman and John Tory want to spend $1 million each to solicit your vote for mayor, they must depend on individual donations of no more than $750 per person – not the influence-peddling contributions of corporations, which cumulatively can amount to tens of thousands.
Continue Reading:

www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/730987--election-reform-plan-not-enough

Link to the cited article by Robert MacDermid:

www.socialjustice.org/index.php?page=funding-city-politics-municipal-campaign-funding-and-property-development-in-the-greater-toronto-area

First Urban's Requests to the Official Plan for Cainsville and East of Brantford

2009-12-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2205005

Special Planning Meeting re Cainsville and East of Brantford

2009-12-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

A Special Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting is being held at 7 pm on Mon. Dec. 7 to review First Urban's requests related to submissions to the Official Plan review.

The Official plan is being reviewed next Thursday, Dec. 10.

Council will also review a report related these requests by David Johnston, head of Corporate Development Services for the County. The meeting on Dec. 7 is the last chance to review First Urban's requests and comment on them before the Official Plan is presented. A Special Council meeting before 8 pm will follow the Special PAC on the same night.

Latest Draft of the Official Plan (OP) is Out

2009-12-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

The Official Plan spells out land use planning goals and policies that will guide the development and redevelopment of the County, the protection and management of farmland, natural and cultural heritage resources, and what infrastructure the county will build. This plan in intended to guide development in Brant until 2031, but the plan will be reviewed every five years.

Anyone may attend the meeting and/or provide written or verbal input to support or oppose the proposed Official Plan. If you do not make a verbal submission at the Public Meeting or a written submission before the Official Plan is adopted, it makes it more difficult for you to appeal the OP at a later date.

There will be a public meeting to give input on the proposed Official Plan.on Dec. 10 in St. George at the South Dumfries Community Centre, Upstairs Hall, 7 Gaukel Dr.. The Open House from 2 - 5 p.m. will be in the same location. Council will vote on the OP early in January.

If you want to be notified of the adoption of the proposed OP, let Jayne Carman know at jayne.carman@brant.ca or write to her at County of Brant, 26 Park Ave., P.O. Box. 160, Burford, ON, N0E 1A0. Copies of the OP can be reviewed at the County Customer Service Offices in Paris, St. George, Burford, Oakland and Onondaga during normal business hours, at the County's Public Library Branches, and on the County website at www.brant.ca. Copies of the OP cost $65,00, C.D.s are $18,00. If you have any questions or wish to make a submission contact Wendy Young at 519-442-6324 X3003 or email wendy.young@brant.ca.

http://www.brant.ca/ourcounty/planning_building/planning/planning_five_year_review_op.shtml

If you need any help to review the Official Plan or would like to borrow a hard copy or disc, please contact sustainablebrant@gmail.com.

Draft Official Plan:

Official Plan - October 2009, Final Draft - Text Only

****NOTE: There is a typo on page 4-5, 4.2.13 which will be corrected in the final text: Grand River N. will change to Grand River S.

Official Plan - October 2009, Final Draft - Maps

Contact Us:

Please forward Official Plan Review comments to:

David Johnston, Director Development Services
County of Brant
66 Grand River Street North,
Paris, Ontario N3L 2M2

Places to Sprawl

2009-08-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Ontario Greenbelt Alliance has issued a report card on how municipalities are addressing sprawl in their official plans. See page 9 for the report on Brant County. [Download a copy]

Ontario's Greenbelt

2009-08-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

For information on Ontario's Greenbelt please click here.

To visit the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance website click here.
To visit the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation website click here.

Learn about the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance's call to expand the greenbelt.

Brant County Official Plan

2009-08-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

The County of Brant is currently working on finalizing the revised draft of the Official Plan.
More information and working draft maps can be found on the county website under Official Plan Review.

Draft Maps of Proposed Land Use Designations
County-wide Map of Designations
Map of Paris
Map of St. George
Map of Burford
Map of Cainsville
Map of Mt. Pleasant
Map of Tutela Heights
Map of Oakhill/Airport
Map of Oakland/Scotland
Map of Hamlets and Villages

Click here to view the draft Official Plan created in Jan. 2009. Please note that there have been several changes to this draft that are not currently available online.
Click here to view the former Official Plan created in 2000.
Appendices of the 2000 OP included maps of Natural Heritage and Soil Capability.

Democracy in Action

2009-08-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

As citizens in Canada we have the responsibility to participate in the democratic system. There are a number of ways that you can choose to do this. One way is to communicate with elected officials whose job it is to represent your interests.

Based on where you live, determine who your elected official is. Click where you live on the map below and you find out who your elected official is.

City of Brantford

County of Brant

Cainsville Class EA for Wastewater Treatment

2009-07-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

A sewage treatment has been proposed for the Cainsville Area. Very few residents realize this because the announcement was for a Wastewater Treatment Plant in East Brant. The sewage treatment plant is not required, unless there is a lot of development in Cainsville. There was an environmental assessment for this sewage treatment plant, but a more stringent individual environmental assessment for this project may not occur.

Click here to read the Report

News/Hotspots Severe Leapfrog Development Pressure in Brant County

2009-04-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Brant County looks like a donut with Brantford in the middle. It has the Paris-Galt Moraine in the north end and prime farmland throughout that is seriously threatened by development and must be protected. Brant County abuts the Greenbelt on its western edge. Policy makers predicted severe leapfrog pressure in this area when the Greenbelt was being formed and Ontario Ministry of Transportation officials admit that the farming community is scheduled for extreme growth pressure.

Brantford is surrounded by a provincially legislated no-build zone. This zone, created in 1979 serves as Brantford’s very own form of “greenbelt”. Developers now want to pave over portions of this greenbelt, and the farmland between the no-build zone eastward to the Hamilton boundary.

The city of Brantford, interested developers, some pro-development politicians and a truckers’ lobby are also pushing for a provincial highway to connect Highways 401 and 403 (officially titled the Brantford to Cambridge Transportation Corridor). This highway would cause severe leapfrog development and convert Brant County farmland into Mississauga type sprawl. This highway is opposed by groups such as the STOP 424, the Smart Coalition and Sustainable Brant.

Sustainable Brant is a grassroots group that grew out of Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, a member of the Greenbelt Alliance. Sustainable Brant monitors development pressures and works to protect farmland. They also review creative initiatives that people are taking to protect farmland, such as creating conservation easements, and setting up land trusts and co-op farms. The group is planning a conference in the future to address leapfrog development pressure in hotspots outside of the Greenbelt. For more information, contact ehaley@gmail.com or 519-647-0040.

The Brant-Hamilton-Halton chapter of the National Farmers Union of Ontario is petitioning to “greenbelt” all of Southern Ontario. Sustainable Brant’s petition challenges the new rules for growing the Greenbelt - rules that leave the request up to the local municipality, and asks the provincial government to consider the requests of citizen groups and conservation authorities to grow the Greenbelt.

Sustainable Planning for Brant County

2009-04-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

For Earth Week, we would like to share a plan that was prepared by Sustainable Brant as a submission to the Official Plan on consultation with residents throughout the county, over a two year period. The residents come from Paris, Glen Morris, Oakland, St. George, Burford, Scotland, Cainsville, Six Nations, Langford, Onondaga, Mt. Pleasant, South Dumfries, the Airport/Oakhill Settlement Area and Tutela Heights.

We treasure Brant’s agricultural roots, want to preserve its rural nature and communities, and want to protect the environment, while promoting a sustainable economy. Here is a summary of our ideas for the revision of Brant County’s Official Plan.

Protect Farmland: protect our local environment and farmland to ensure the health and quality of life of present and future generations. Include Brant County in the Greenbelt.

Protect our environment: Conserve energy and water, protect our watershedsand reduce our waste.

Protect our cultural heritage and community infrastructure in the towns and in the small farming communities, including schoolhouses and community halls.

Plan for a more sustainable and healthy local economy that builds upon our agricultural economy and natural areas.
• Learn from our past and Brantford’s history of brownfields and restrict development to “clean jobs” that do not pollute our air, water or soil.
• Plan for a post-carbon economy where we reduce our reliance on oil.
• Ensure that all new construction uses low-energy building techniques.
• Foster local and value-added economies where our dollars stay within the community and help other local businesses.
• Foster the development of more business and housing cooperatives to protect our county from the effects of the recession.

Make travel more sustainable.
• Plan sustainable transportation to move people and goods.
• No more new highways on farmland.
• Plan for more walkable communities.
• Promote teleworking, video conferencing and web conferencing, and public transport to reduce the use of cars.

Limit growth to preserve the nature of Brant County.
• Keep new development within the existing urban settlement area boundaries.
• Keep the existing provincially legislated “standstill”/no-build necklace around Brantford. This is our “greenbelt”.

Be fiscally responsible – spend within our means.
• Follow Guelph’s example and reduce the growth numbers.
• Do not privatize our infrastructure, no private-public-partnerships.

Democracy:
• Make county planning documents more accessible and readable.
• Do not restrict the public from making delegations to council.

Brant County Maps

2008-08-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

County of Brant: Environmental Study Report -Class Environmental Assessment for Wastewater Treatment Capacity for the Community of Brant East

Cainsville Proposed Development

Brantford to Cambridge Transportation Corridor:
Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference
Exhibit 1-4 Analysis Area

Brantford to Cambridge Transportation Corridor: EA Terms of Reference
Exhibit 3: Alternative Linkages

County of Brant Official Plan: Appendix "2"
Soil Capability for Agriculture

Brant County: Archeologically Significant Areas

Sustainable Brant

Brant/Brantford "Greenbelt": Development Pressures

Radio Press Release - Election Survey Results

Brant County Election Survey

County of Brant: Paris Agricultural Society Debate

County of Brant: Cainsville Debate

Candidate Election Survey Results

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 1 (2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 2 (2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 3 (2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 4 (2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 5 (2 to be elected)

Incineration Press Release

Incineration In Brant County Information Night

Brant can Learn from Election Reform in Toronto

First Urban's Requests to the Official Plan for Cainsville and East of Brantford

Special Planning Meeting re Cainsville and East of Brantford

Latest Draft of the Official Plan (OP) is Out

Places to Sprawl

Ontario's Greenbelt

Brant County Official Plan

Democracy in Action

Cainsville Class EA for Wastewater Treatment

News/Hotspots Severe Leapfrog Development Pressure in Brant County

Sustainable Planning for Brant County

Brant County Maps

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 1
(2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 2
(2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 3
(2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 4
(2 to be elected)

CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR, WARD 5
(2 to be elected)