The Escarpment Corridor Alliance Celebrates it’s First Year Anniversary!

On March 1st, 2022, the Escarpment Corridor Alliance made its public debut over a Zoom meeting. It’s hard to believe all that has transpired over the past year and how far the ECA has come. With this post, we would like to reflect on all that has been accomplished over the past year. And, in our next post, we will share a preview of the very exciting year ahead.

 

Making Our Mission Public

From that first Zoom call, attended by nearly 150 people, the awareness and support of the ECA has skyrocketed. Concerned supporters – residents and visitors – of our beautiful Southern Georgian Bay area have resoundingly connected with our mission for broad corridors that protect our natural heritage and biodiversity, and offer unique recreational opportunities to all. And, while the ECA is absolutely fighting against mega-developments like Castle Glen and Talisman, our supporters clearly recognize that we are fighting for something bigger … a green escarpment for generations to come. “Think global; act (BIG) local” is our mantra!

 

Groundswell of Support

One year in and we now have almost 22,000 supporters who have signed our petition to keep the escarpment free of mega developments. Thousands more supporters are reading our newsletters and actively engaging with us on social media.

 

Our Donor Base

Battling large land developers and creating a professional not-for-profit organization is expensive. Period. We are so grateful to the hundreds of individuals, families, and foundations that have made such generous donations that allowed us to accelerate past the grassroots phase and professionalize the organization. Your support has helped us build our team of scientific, planning and legal experts as well as expand our marketing reach.

 

Media Coverage

With a mission that resonates and a highly engaged board of directors reaching out far and wide across the escarpment, the media have taken notice. The ECA has had coverage in countless newspaper articles, magazine features, social media and on CBC Radio (click HERE to listen).

 

Partnerships

The word Alliance in the ECA name is not an accident. In a single year we have partnered with over a dozen local and regional environmental, recreational, and social organizations often becoming a conduit for their voices to be amplified, all while building our base of support. Working in collaboration with organizations like the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust, Protect Talisman Lands Association, Friends of Silver Creek, and others we have significantly elevated our collective impact.

 

Political Action

Throughout 2022 ECA Directors and volunteers made our case through presentations, deputations, written submissions, and townhalls to our elected officials. Moreover, we worked tirelessly to determine which candidates, provincially and locally, shared our vision for a green escarpment. Our impact on elections across the four municipalities we touch was profound. Nowhere was this evidenced more clearly than in The Blue Mountains where the new council recently voted, and unanimously passed, a motion that called for the protection of greenspace and the creation of natural corridors in Southern Georgian Bay. Critically, the motion spoke to increasing collaboration across municipalities, precisely what we, at the ECA, are aiming to achieve. We could not have written it better ourselves!

 

Now, thanks to the ECA and the incredible work of all our directors, volunteers, and supporters, our vision is well recognized across local municipal governments. This sets the stage for other municipalities to follow suit and sends a clear message to the provincial and federal governments.

 

Nobody said it would be easy, but nothing worth fighting for is!

 

Thanks to all of you for your support in getting us off the ground. Let’s build on this remarkable start and make our second year even better.

It’s been a successful year, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

As we look back on 2022, we’re encouraged by all that we’ve accomplished together since our launch in March – and we’re grateful for your support.

Over the past year, we’ve raised awareness about the threats facing our natural lands and connected with residents, businesses and organizations in support of our home! Through elections, outreach, and events, we’ve grown together and are ready for another successful year ahead.

Amongst many other achievements, we’ve:

  • Gained over 20,000 signatures on our petition, highlighting the importance of the Escarpment and the support across Ontario for a responsible approach to development;
  • Led significant legal, public relations, and advocacy campaigns to protect our community;
  • Advocated for land conservation and sustainability to leaders, local representatives, and municipal councils;
  • Built strong relationships with likeminded residents, businesses, and organizations; and
  • Voiced our strong opposition to Bill 23 and other policies and legislation harmful to the environment alongside community members and organizations across the province.

In the year to come, we plan to continue connecting with friends and neighbours while building new relationships in the community. Additionally, and after thorough preparation with our team, we are expanding our outreach with government officials to increase our advocacy for the protection of our region.

We look forward to working with you in the coming year and continuing to protect our community together. Your support, from volunteering to donations and petition participation has been central to our success throughout 2022. In the words of John F. Kennedy, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”

Looking ahead to the new year, we imagine how much more we can accomplish – together. We cannot wait to continue our work to protect the Niagara Escarpment.

Wishing you a happy holiday season and our best wishes for the new year.

The Elephant on the Escarpment

Let’s call a spade a spade. For over 50 years now, the Castle Glen development, in one form or another, has been “on the books.” Yet, when it comes to the Town of the Blue Mountains politicians and staff, it has long remained the proverbial elephant on the Escarpment. None of them want to touch it. “Keep quiet and maybe it will go away,” has been the historical approach. Castle Glen shows up on page 283 of the Official Plan. It appears a few times in passing and parentheses in the BLUEPRINT, the Town’s 2022 Official Plan Review publications. Population projections through 2046 in the same BLUEPRINT documents don’t even include Castle Glen. As if this will magically make it all disappear!

The Escarpment Corridor Alliance (ECA) wants you to know that Castle Glen is NOT just “another development,” and without our efforts it won’t magically disappear.

Let’s put things in context.

Five Fast Facts

Developed as planned, Castle Glen would represent:

  1. The single largest development in the history of the Town of the Blue Mountains.
  2. The single largest development in the future Official Plan planning period (2022–2046) of the Town.
  3. An increase in population that would exceed the total cumulative population growth for the Town over the past 15-year period (2006–2021).
  4. An urban area with a population 10–20% greater than Thornbury (based on 2021 census data).
  5. The single largest new development on the brow and prominent Escarpment slopes in the province of Ontario since the creation of the Niagara Escarpment Commission (the “NEC”) in 1973.

But there’s more. The biggest “single largest” is the most dispiriting of all – given its size, strategic location as part of the escarpment corridor and its exceptional ecological value, the Castle Glen development would be the single most environmentally destructive development, not just in the history of the Blue Mountains, but in the history of the Niagara Escarpment.

Oh, by the way, because the Castle Glen development is masquerading behind resort residential zoning (my emphasis) the developers can be exempt from the planning for infrastructure, schools, libraries, EMS services that would normally be associated with such an urban area.

The ECA is saying “enough is enough.” Our lawyer, David Donnelly, will be submitting our formal response to the recently issued Staff Report on the History and Current Status of Castle Glen Property on Friday August 19th. The ECA will then be making a formal deputation to Town Council when they receive the report on Tuesday August 30th.

From now on, we want Council, Staff and Blue Mountains residents to call the proposed Castle Glen development exactly what it is: a huge and irreparably destructive new urban development on the brow of the UNESCO designated Niagara Escarpment Biosphere.

Goodbye elephant!

Having spent the past two decades trying to fight this phantom development there have been many very frustrating moments. Today, I am filled with hope that common sense will prevail. It is 2022 and we do know better!

Do you want to make a difference? Here’s how you can help:

  1. Your voice – show up to Blue Mountain Council on August 30th.
  2. Your donations – every dollar helps, especially as we begin to engage legal counsel and professionals and amplify our messaging.
  3. Your support – please volunteer, sign our petition, register for our newsletter and spread the word to friends, families and your communities.

With gratitude,

Bruce Harbinson

President, Escarpment Corridor Alliance