It will be no surprise to those who know me and/or read my blog that I am very disturbed by the news that wetlands are being considered as obstacles to development; and that rather than modifying a project (i.e change its location) permissions are being granted by the Province to fill them in. It is by no means a new “crime” as they have been disappearing since the Europeans arrived and we started establishing ourselves. I am being provocative to say it was a crime 400 hundred years ago but I am tempeted to use the term as today we are still doing it. I think the first new people to live in this area of Canada, do have a good excuse: true ignorance. Today we don’t have that excuse.
Earlier this year 3 provincially significant wetlands on agriculturally zoned land were filled in to enable construction of a Walmart distribution centre on Jane St. in Vaughan (near Teston Road). Recently Pickering has asked for and been granted a ministerial zoning order (MZO) to allow the destruction of the 54 acre Lower Duffins Creeks Provincially Significant Wetland in order to build a distribution centre.
Wetlands are extremely productive. Who/what is going to do the work of this natural asset which has been given to us? Wetlands purify our water; they trap sediments and remove pollutants. Wetlands sequester carbon. Wetlands work like sponges; they store water and then slowly release it which is beneficial in dry seasons with little rainfall. Wetlands contribute to flood prevention; when rivers burst their banks wetlands can store the excess water and slow it down, so it distributes more evenly over a floodplain. Wetlands are an important habitat for frogs, turtles and birds.
I am distressed by our Provincial Government’s lack of appreciation for wetlands. If you share my concern please write your MPP asking him to tell his colleague, the Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing, to revoke the MZO enabling the destruction of Lower Duffins Creek Wetland Complex and to reaffirm his government’s commitment to respecting and upholding protections for the remaining PSWs in Ontario; alternatively you can sign a petition at Ontario Nature.
Thank you for your weekly news letters. Most informative. I sent the
Nature letters off to Lecce and associates. The banksters and the
/developers place profit before people/wetlands.
It is not just the wetlands that suffer because of uncontrolled development. We are on the north edge of Nobleton. Ever
since the new subdivision was developed our well has been going
dry each year between the months of August and September. This
year it was October. The Oakridge Moraine aquifer is being drained!! Then comes water conservation!! Then comes Lake Ontario water and more UNCONTROLLED
development as is the case in King City.
Hi John, that is a frightening statement that the ORM aquifer is being drained. I don’t know enough about hydrology but I would need more data on that. I understand that you and others may not like the growth in King City but I need to take issue with the word “uncontrolled.”