Mr. Speaker, last week our government provided a green municipal fund investment of $2 million to the city of Guelph in Wellington county. This will allow Guelph to plan the city's growth as part of the province of Ontario's “Places to Grow” plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe so that sustainable growth occurs with minimal environmental impacts.
I am particularly proud to support Guelph's request to expand the greenbelt to include the city and the southern part of Wellington county, an important part of the Grand River watershed.
This watershed is home to vital farmlands and is an important part of the Carolinian forest zone, an area with the highest biodensity in Canada and, in this country, found only in southern Ontario.
It is also home to over a dozen species at risk of extinction, including the great egret, the Jefferson salamander and the green snake. All are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, most of it caused by urban sprawl.
By launching these initiatives in cooperation with our government, Mayor Farbridge, Guelph city council and the citizens of Guelph are making it clear that they are committed to environmental action for today and for tomorrow.