This petition is called “Protect Farmland and Sustainable Growth in Waterloo Region.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the government is overriding and rewriting local official plans to move urban boundaries and violate the countryside line by opening up previously protected lands to development;

“Whereas Waterloo’s regional official plan as passed in August 2022 was accommodating all anticipated future growth until 2051 without significant boundary expansion or significant loss of farmland;

“Whereas this process of expropriating prime farmland in Wilmot township has lacked transparency with no public consultation or information in response to concerns about how rezoning and development will affect our water resources;

“Whereas there is a concerning pattern of using ministers’ zoning orders (MZOs) to fast-track developments that favour sprawl over sustainable growth; and

“Whereas the 770 acres of land being expropriated and rezoned in Wilmot is prime agricultural land;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately pause all plans to expropriate and rezone lands in Wilmot township, to respect the regional planning processes, and to prioritize environmentally conscious, sustainable development in Waterloo region.”

It is my pleasure to affix my signature to this petition and give it to page Tyler.