Simcoe County is going to grow substantially in the near future and we need to protect that which protects and provides for us. The Oro Moraine is a smaller sister of the Oak Ridges Moraine right here in Simcoe County. It performs essential Ecological and Hydrological functions that are CRITICAL to the health of the environment and our communities. It supplies drinking water for thousands of Simcoe County residents for free. It basically collects, filters/cleans and stores water for not only drinking water but sustains all major watersheds supplying Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay and Severn Sound. It is the source of groundwater, life giving water for our environment and people. We need to protect it now before it is too late. An ecosystem land based planning approach modelled after the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan would protect us and our environment. It would be the fiscally responsible thing to do and would save the County and Municipalities and taxpayers much needed assets. Development /Infrastructure costs would COST millions and research has shown the type of development proposed on the moraine never pays for itself, it would be a financial drain. For every reason, financial, water, farmland, environment and protecting us from the effects of climate change it needs to be protected for us and future generations.

Sprawling urbanization and unsustainable short term decision making threaten to undermine the Oro moraines sensitive ecosystems and groundwater systems.. This is a bigger system not isolated because everything is connected to everything else. The Indigenous peoples teach us this and many of us our just beginning to learn this as well. There is a very good reason the Oak Ridges and part of the Paris-Galt moraines are protected (under their own conservation acts and as part of the Greenbelt). People and government worked together using SCIENCE FACT BASED legislation to ensure that protection. The environment that provides and protects us at no cost must be protected. Much research in many areas such as conservation biology, land use planning, politics, economics, hydrogeology and many more areas were all covered. These were adopted because it is the only financially responsible choice, short term and long term. It’s a win:win situation for all involved except land speculators/developers. Is there really a choice ? The problem is that the politics of ignorance continue to threaten the moraine. It is hoped that our elected representatives uphold science facts and do the right thing to protect our precious life giving Oro moraine. The future of our waters/groundwater/ forests/wetlands/farms/species at risk/all species that call the moraine home - all of it are in your hands. Please protect our moraine.

It is of the utmost importance that the health of our drinking water, our rivers, streams, lakes (our watersheds) and our environment need to come first and foremost. For it is these that provide for us for us at no cost. We voted for counsel and it is the people and the health of our communities that should come first. The Oro Moraine should be taken very seriously as it is our own ‘Oak Ridges moraine’ right here in Simcoe County. It serves the same functions as the Oak Ridges. These functions such as providing clean, cold drinking water, giving life to wetlands and rivers which drain into Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) and affecting all the lands and communities that all it’s waters touch should be a number one PRIORITY. We are in a climate emergency. The wildfire smoke that is clouding the skies make this all very real and very hard to ignore. We need to protect our green spaces our trees, farms, fields and wetlands. They all absorb carbon and pollutants from the atmosphere. All are precious and protect us. It’s easy to dismiss this but just take a drive into Barrie and see what it’s like on a hot day on the concrete and asphalt. Our green spaces especially sensitive lands such as the moraine counter this. Once it is ‘developed’; we cannot reverse it. Please protect it, place a halt on development until experts from Oak Ridges for example ecosystem based land planners and researchers etc can be consulted to show how ecosystem land use planning works. These areas DID NOT adopt to protect without it being fiscally responsible as well. It will save taxpayers money. There is much research behind what ‘Ecosystem Services’ are worth. Services such as water filtration, water supply, pollution sequestration etc etc). The Greenbelt ecosystem services are worth 3.2 billion a year (much of that is due to the Oak Ridges Moraine). The Oro moraine is also worth a tremendous amount. It is providing for you and all of us free services NOT costing, (such as high infrastructure costs would). (This sprawling urbanization has been shown by much research to NEVER pay for itself and will COST the County, Oro Medonte Township and all neighbouring townships MILLIONS MORE and we will NEVER get back what we had.. we cannot wait for another ice age to give us this precious resource) . You can be the heroes that voters believed you to be. You will be remembered and honoured for this.

Oro Medonte has many natural heritage features that should be respected and protected. The Oro Moraine is number one and most prominent. These areas should be protected because they have far greater value in all ways - economic, ecological, societal and more - there are endless health benefits from being in nature - whether it's from a hike, bike or other activity, studies show both physical and mental health is significantly improved; improvements in all aspects of health - cardiovascular, chronic disease, decrease in depression and anxiety, improvements in cognitive function, emotional health, sleep, memory and much more - kids that spent time in nature had a reduced risk of psychiatric disorders later in life and had improved attention and positive emotions - the more nature is protected the more there is to enjoy which in turn boosts tourism for the local economy - providing local businesses with opportunities that may not otherwise exist - the Oak Ridges moraine/ Greenbelt is protected and tourists and people from all over visit the area to enjoy its opportunities - the recreational value (just from birdwatching, hiking, biking, fishing and accommodation) of the Greenbelt was worth over 2 billion dollars 6 years ago - people love driving to charming small towns and rural areas which again boosts the local economy (no one wants to drive to another sub-division or McDonald’s) - the appeal of local food in rural areas and ecological adventures have increased - ecosystem services - cleaning the air and drinking water and much more at no cost to citizens (worth 3.2 billion/ year in the Greenbelt alone) - - we see that we are all connected by recent weather events ie the smoke from the forest fires in Quebec shows us how we share the air - Covid taught us that we are all connected - the Indigenous peoples teach us that we are all connected - social, cultural, economic and ecological issues are all connected - we see the impact humans are having on this planet and its time we stopped the damage and destruction because time and again we see that nature does a very good job providing for us and protecting us , why would we interfere? - damaging it will only costs us much more (in every aspect incl financially) - the moraine is where rivers and streams start, we have an obligation to protect our waters, these waters sustain us all - environment and people - for much of the world having access to clean water is very difficult and a daily task and yet we are throwing ours away so rich developers can get richer; it’s time the people and the environment came first - future generations deserve to enjoy this beautiful area (and so do all the species that have lived here for hundreds/thousands of years)