QUEEN’S PARK – This morning, Ontario Green Leader Mike Schreiner reintroduced pivotal laws to guard the Paris Galt Moraine.
“It’s critical that we protect water,” Schreiner said. “Each now and for future generations. This bill provides model laws to guard moraines across the province.
“Because the climate crisis worsens, Ontario must preserve its water supplies before the situation becomes more costly and dire. More delays will cost us with our wallets and with our health.
“Protecting the water and the Paris Galt Moraine is the fiscally and environmentally responsible thing to do.
The Ontario Greens’ proposed laws, the Paris Galt Moraine Conservation Act, would protect drinking water for tons of of hundreds of Ontarians in a region that is predicted so as to add as much as 1 million latest residents by 2041. It is predicated on the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act, passed in 2001 by the PC government of the time.
The Paris Galt Moraine Conservation Act passed second reading in 2019 at Queen’s Park and was in committee before Doug Ford prorogued the legislature this past September.
“Ontario Greens don’t back down from protecting people and nature,” Schreiner said. “Even when Doug Ford wipes the order paper and eliminates our vital bills, we come back fighting.”
The Ford government is threatening water across the province with reckless development projects. The development of the Holland Marsh Highway severely threatens groundwater and the already at-risk Lake Simcoe, proposed plans to pave over the Carruthers Creek Headwaters would negatively impact the clean water supply within the Durham region, and Highway 413 would cut across 85 waterways.
“I’ll proceed to paved the way on protecting water and nature at Queen’s Park,” Schreiner said. “I used to be the one MPP to vote against the Line 5 pipeline that puts the Great Lakes at severe risk. The Conservatives and NDP gave it the green light, while the Liberals didn’t even trouble to point out as much as vote.”
Ontario Greens are committed to restoring and protecting nature and water. And as a part of the Roadmap to Net-Zero climate plan, would protect 25% of Ontario by 2025 and 30% by 2030.
“We have now an actual plan for real motion,” Schreiner said. “And this bill is an example of the varieties of steps Ontario Greens are taking to construct a greener and healthier Ontario.”
Schreiner will table the Paris Galt Moraine Conservation Act this afternoon within the Queen’s Park legislature.
