1 / 1 Former Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne listens during Wednesday's Severn Township council meeting, where she presented on behalf of the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition and urged councillors to support the upcoming 2025 Greenbelt review.Tyler Evans/OrilliaMatters Advertisement
Former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne came before Severn Township council Wednesday morning with a request she framed as both deeply personal and broadly urgent, a review of Ontario's Greenbelt that is required under law to begin before the end of 2025.
Wynne, who served as premier from 2013 to 2018, now lives in Simcoe County with her partner Jane and their young grandchildren. She told councillors the move five years ago tied her more closely to the land and the environmental realities at stake.
"This is an issue that's very close to my heart, both at a policy level and at a personal level," she said. "I have three grandchildren who have been born in the last five years, and I want them to grow up in a place where the natural environment is protected."
Wynne has taken an active role in the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition, joining its board just over a year ago. The coalition brings together 47 member organizations, ranging from groups focused on water quality and wetlands to those working on farmland preservation.
Their shared goal, she said, is to preserve land for future generations and advocate for stronger land-use policies at both the municipal and provincial level.
At the centre of Wynne's presentation was a reminder that Ontario's Greenbelt Act requires a review every decade. The next one, she said, must begin in 2025. She argued the review presents an opportunity not only to maintain protections but also to strengthen them, and she outlined the measurable benefits already tied to the Greenbelt.
"It's important because of the carbon offsets, 71 million tonnes a year, and the $3.2 billion worth of ecosystem value," she said. "There is $9.6 billion in annual economic impact and $224 million worth of flood prevention services. And I don't think I need to tell anybody in this room the importance of the adaptation to climate change. It's happening.
"So making sure that water protection and prevention is there, that we have green space that allows for flood prevention, that's part of what this conversation is about," said Wynne.
Although Simcoe County does not sit fully within Greenbelt boundaries, Wynne stressed its environmental features, particularly water and farmland, are closely tied to the region's long-term resilience. She pointed to a 2018 proposal to include parts of Simcoe County in the Greenbelt, noting that nature does not respect artificial borders.
"Mother Nature doesn't know about the boundary of the Greenbelt," she said. "Whatever the impact on water and flooding are in the south of the Greenbelt or north of the Greenbelt, we need to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect those important features."
Her request to Severn was that council adopt a motion of support for the review process. The proposed resolution, which she read aloud, emphasizes the importance of protecting ecologically and hydrologically significant landscapes, permanently safeguarding farmland, and helping municipalities manage pressures tied to growth, aggregate extraction, and climate risks. It calls on the province to collaborate with municipalities, Indigenous nations, and stakeholders to explore ways of expanding and strengthening Greenbelt protections.
The motion also references the 2015 Coordinated Land Use Planning Review, which recommended expanding the Greenbelt into key hydrological areas such as moraines and headwater systems to better protect water and ecological health.
Wynne was careful to stress the resolution is not about endorsing any particular expansion, but about ensuring the review proceeds in a meaningful way.
"If we don't have a systematic review, then those contentious issues fester, and they become real problems," she said. "This motion does not ask for any specific support of any specific expansion or protection measure. What it does ask for is your support for the review, which leads to an open-ended conversation about how we can strengthen the Greenbelt."
Council's initial response was largely supportive.
Coun. Philip Brennan thanked Wynne for her presentation and said the Greenbelt framework had direct value for Severn.
"This Greenbelt complements the Lake Simcoe Plan, which has a significant effect on this township, all the way up to and through to Champion Hills," Brennan said. "It is critical to have transparent decisions regarding the protection of biodiversity, water, and wetland. There are so many lessons we can learn from studies that have been done in the Greenbelt. It's sort of like a first line of defence."
He added the natural asset management work being produced by the Greenbelt Foundation provides valuable insight for local planning decisions.
"There are going to be such incredible odds these days, huge pressures from the oil and gas industries, and getting that message out is tough. So, I for one am grateful that you came to see us this afternoon."
Deputy Mayor Judith Cox also voiced support and asked if council could adopt the motion immediately. Staff clarified that while Wynne had supplied a draft, the resolution would need to be brought forward formally at Severn's next council meeting in two weeks.
Mayor Mike Burkett thanked Wynne for appearing, while several councillors noted the broader debate about development pressures and farmland loss in Simcoe County making the timing of the Greenbelt review especially relevant.
For Wynne, who was part of the cabinet that first created the Greenbelt in 2005 and later expanded it as premier, the effort to build local momentum is both political and personal.
"There will always be contentious issues," she said. "But if municipalities like Severn put their voices forward, it helps shape a review that protects farmland, protects water, and ultimately ensures that the next generation has a livable place to call home."