Ontario's Greenbelt - Curriculum Services Canada

Ontario’s Greenbelt 

A Resource for Teachers

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Introduction 

For the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 

Initiating a Study of the Greenbelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

Ontario’s Greenbelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 

Student Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 

Chronicling Ontario’s Greenbelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

Student Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 

Quality of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Student Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Species at Risk in Ontario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

A Variety of Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Student Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Investigating Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 

Student Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 

A Town Hall Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

Student Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 

Acknowledgements 

Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Resource for Teachers was written by: 

Maureen Sims and Veronica Koehl-Dunbar, Toronto Catholic District School Board 

This resource has been developed and mentored through Curriculum Services Canada.

Introduction 

Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Resource for Teachers is designed to generate an 

awareness of Ontario’s Greenbelt, using student-centred investigations. Through 

various learning experiences, students come to understand what a greenbelt is, 

where Ontario’s Greenbelt is located, why it was created, and who the key 

stakeholders are. Through these explorations, students develop the critical 

thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions about the role of Ontario’s 

Greenbelt and its impact today and in the future. 

For the Teacher 

The resource provides a rich array of learning experiences from which teachers 

can select those most appropriate for students and the curriculum they are 

studying. 

Teachers can use these tasks as they are set out or can adapt them to suit the 

needs, ability, and level of the students in their classes, e.g., special needs, level 

of language acquisition, background knowledge. 

Teachers may choose to have students demonstrate their learning in other ways 

than those suggested for a particular learning experience. For example, rather 

than engaging in an oral discussion, some students might make a poster or 

prepare a visual presentation. 

The resource is intended for use in Grades 7-9 across a number of disciplines – 

Geography, Science, Language Arts, etc., creating flexibility in how and where 

the teacher chooses to use the material to support teaching/learning in their 

classrooms. 

While a number of resources are suggested, teachers are encouraged to provide 

additional suitable materials to support students in their investigations, e.g., 

maps, articles. 

Initiating a Study of the Greenbelt 

A vocabulary building task introduces the relevant greenbelt vocabulary: 

• Model how to use Frayer’s Model for vocabulary - the definition of the word, 

a description of the characteristics of the word, what it is and what it isn’t. 

Greenbelt: A greenbelt is an area of undeveloped land, usually 

surrounding an urban area, designated to be preserved in its natural 

state. Restrictions are placed on this region to prevent it from being 

developed into residential areas or for other urban uses. The land may be 

used for purposes such as farming, nature preserves, biological research, 

and recreation. 

Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Resource for Teachers 1

Introduction (continued) 

• In pairs, students create Frayer models for one of the following: 

- Green spaces: areas that are left as natural spaces, e.g., parks are 

green spaces in a city 

- Wetlands: lands such as swamp, marsh, bog or fen 

- Aggregate: mineral materials, such as sand and gravel mined from 

natural resources and used for the development of roads and cities 

- Agricultural land: lands good for growing crops (vegetables, fruits, etc.) 

and raising livestock 

- Watershed: An area of land in which water drains down through to the 

lowest level. Water travels both on the surface of the land as rivers and 

creeks and underground. 

- Hamlets: very small towns 

- Infrastructure: physical structures (facilities or corridors) that form the 

foundation for development 

- Stakeholders: individuals, groups or organizations that are affected by 

and/or have an interest in a particular issue 

• Students share their Frayer model with the class. 

• Students make a glossary of terms, using information from these models. 

Resources 

The following sources of information were used in developing this resource and 

provide additional information for the teacher: 

Earthroots Home Page. 9 July 2005. 

http://www.greenbeltontario.org/ 

Environmental Defence Home Page. 9 July 2006. 

http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/greening/greenbelt.htm 

Ontario’s Greenbelt Alliance Home Page. 9 July 2006. 

http://www.greenbelt.ca 

Ontario. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Greenbelt Plan 2005. Toronto, 

2005. 

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_22087_1.html#greenbelt 

Chronicling Ontario’s Greenbelt 

Fact Sheet 1: The Purpose of a Greenbelt and Examples of Other Greenbelts 

Source: “Ottawa’s Greenbelt.” Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. 2006. 

2 Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Resource for Teachers

Introduction (continued) 

Fact Sheet 2: Greenbelt: From Vision to Reality 

Source: Ontario. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Toronto, 2005. 

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_22087_1.html#greenbelt 

Fact Sheet 3: Greenbelt Background and Objectives 

Source: Ontario. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_23397_1.html 

Fact Sheet 4: Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe 

Sources: City of Toronto Home Page. About the Toronto Plan. 1998-2006. 

15 July 2006 

http://www.toronto.ca/torontoplan/about.htm. 

City of Toronto Home Page. OMB approves City of Toronto’s Official 

Plan. 1998-2006. 15 July 2006 http://www.toronto.ca/torontoplan/index.htm 

City of Toronto Home Page. Toronto History. 1998-2006. 15 July 2006 

http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/index.htm 

City of Toronto, Urban Development Services, Policy and Research. 

Profile Toronto. January 2003. 15 July 2006 

http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/pdf/profile_tor_bulletin.pdf. 

EarthRoots Home Page. 9 July 2005. http://www.greenbeltontario.org/ 

Toronto Public Library. Toronto: A Place of Meeting, 10,000 Years of 

History Virtual Gallery. 2 August 2003. 15 July 2006 

http://ve.tpl.toronto.on.ca/TPM/index.html. 

Statistics Canada. A Profile of the Canadian Population: Where We 

Live. 13 May 2004. 15 July 2006 

http://geodepot.statcan.ca/Diss/Highlights/Page9/Page9a_e.cfm 

Species at Risk in Ontario 

Source: Species at Risk in the Greenbelt (Full List) Environmental Defence. 

Endangered Species in the Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt. November 

2004. 

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/page_attachments/Library/1/2938400_ 

AppendixII.pdf 


Ontario’s Greenbelt 

Context 

Students develop a clear understanding of the location, 

size, purpose, and benefits of Ontario’s Greenbelt 

through mapping, discussions, and poster writing. 

Curriculum Links 

Geography, English 

Introduction 

• Students brainstorm differences between sitting in a 

parking lot on a hot summer day and sitting in a park or 

wooded area on a hot day (parking lot: hot, dry, no 

protection from the sun, little wildlife, possible noises 

from cars or buildings nearby, poor air quality from car 

exhausts, etc.; park: cool, shady, quiet, possible sounds of 

birds and other wildlife, scents from trees, flowers, etc.). 

• In groups, students complete the Ontario Greenbelt 

Scavenger Hunt worksheet, using a map illustrating the 

Ontario Greenbelt and a Canadian Atlas. 

See links: 

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/page_attachments/ 

Library/1/2938400_AppendixII.pdf and 

http://www.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/greenbelt/greenbelt.htm or 

use another map. 

Investigation 

• Students write descriptions of the key features of 

Ontario’s Greenbelt: where it is located, what its 

characteristics are, places that it includes and does not 

include, etc. Students predict what would happen to the 

urban areas on the map if there were no greenbelt around 

it. Discuss students’ written ideas as a class. 

• Students use the scale on the map provided and a ruler 

to divide the greenbelt into sections and calculate the 

approximate total area of the Ontario Greenbelt. 

Scavenger Hunt 

Answers 

1. Toronto, Hamilton, 

Oshawa, Whitby, 

Richmond Hill, 

Markham, Oakville, 

Burlington, Pickering, 

St. Catharines 

2. Lake Simcoe, Lake 

Ontario, Georgian Bay, 

Lake Huron, Niagara 

River, Rice Lake 

3. Oak Ridges Moraine, 

Niagara Escarpment 

4. Oak Ridges Moraine 

5. Niagara Escarpment 

6. Niagara, Waterloo, 

Wellington, 

Dufferin, Durham, 

Peterborough, Toronto, 

Simcoe, Grey, 

Haldimand County, 

Brant County, Halton, 

Peel, Hamilton, York 

7. Barrie, Guelph, 

Kitchen, Waterloo, 

Brantford, 

Peterborough 

8. Keswick, Niagara-onthe-lake, 

Grimsby, 

Welland, Georgetown, 

Acton, Port Perry 

9. Toronto 

10. Bruce Peninsula 

11. Niagara-on-the-Lake 


Ontario’s Greenbelt (continued) 

• Given the Greenbelt’s size, location, and key features, 

students speculate and discuss the purpose of a 

greenbelt (to protect natural areas around a large city, to 

protect air and water, to provide a nearby food source, to 

protect wildlife, etc.). 

• Using Think-Pair-Share, students consider the benefits of 

nearby green space to a large urban centre (beauty, local 

food source, opportunity for recreation in summer and 

winter, sources of clean water, source of fresh air, 

habitats for plants and animals). 

Notes 

Consolidation 

• Students use what they have learned about greenbelts 

and create a poster to educate the public on the benefits 

of a greenbelt for an area. 


Ontario’s Greenbelt: Scavenger Hunt 

1. List five cities surrounded by Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

2. List five bodies of water located near Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

3. What two large geological landforms are located within Ontario’s Greenbelt? 

4. What geological landform reaches around Toronto eastwards? 

5. What geological landform reaches around Toronto westwards? 

6. Name five different regions that Ontario’s Greenbelt touches? 

7. Identify five cities located outside Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

8. List five towns or villages found in Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

9. What large urban centre is completely encompassed by Ontario’s Greenbelt? 

10. What peninsula does Ontario’s Greenbelt cover? 

11. What town found within Ontario’s Greenbelt is located along the Canada-United States 

border? 



Context 

Students investigate the history of the Golden 

Horseshoe and the creation of Ontario’s Greenbelt. This 

learning experience provides students with information 

on what a greenbelt is, what Ontario’s Greenbelt is, why 

it was created, where it is located, and what the land use 

patterns are. 


Geography, English, The Arts 

Introduction 

• Students examine the map of Ontario’s Greenbelt to get a 

visual sense of what it is. Using a map of Canada, 

demonstrate that Ottawa and Vancouver also have 

greenbelts. 

• In groups, students create a concept map as they 

brainstorm why large cities might create policies for 

greenbelts. 

Note: 

If storyboarding is a new 

concept for students, 

explain that it is a visual 

tool that helps to order a 

sequence of events. It is a 

set of frames with roughly 

sketched pictures and 

captions explaining the 

action. Creating and 

organizing a storyboard is 

usually the first step in 

developing a documentary 

film. 

For practice, students can 

storyboard what they did 

during their lunch break or 

another school activity. 

Investigation 

• Students examine the concepts of protecting natural 

resources, agricultural lands, and water and discuss their 

findings as a class. 

• Working in small groups, students examine the Fact 

Sheets. Using this data, they create storyboards to share 

their findings. 


Chronicling Ontario’s Greenbelt (continued) 

Consolidation 

• Students do a gallery walk, examining their peers’ work. 

They choose another group’s storyboard and decide on 

the main message of the piece, indicate which frames 

they enjoyed and why, and suggest areas for 

improvement. This exchange can be done orally or in 

writing. 

• Students critique for their own storyboards using the 

same criteria. 

Notes 



FACT SHEET # 1 

The Purpose of a Greenbelt and Examples of Other Greenbelts 

A greenbelt is an area surrounding a large city or urban area. A greenbelt is often created 

through urban planning to ensure that the city does not continue to expand endlessly. The 

greenbelt forms a circular area around the city where development is limited and agricultural 

and natural lands are protected. 

A greenbelt around large urban areas is important environmentally as it offers food sources, 

clean water and air, and a place for natural life. By creating laws that protect prime 

agricultural lands around a city from development, it ensures that there is a secure food 

source for the city. Large green spaces around a city’s watershed are an important guarantee 

of clean safe water. Large natural areas also help regulate the climate of an area. 

In Canada, Ottawa and Vancouver also have greenbelts. Ottawa’s greenbelt is one of 

Canada’s oldest greenbelts, created in the 1960s covering a space of 20 000 hectares. 

Vancouver and the province of British Columbia also have extensive green spaces that 

protect agricultural lands. 



FACT SHEET #2 

Greenbelt: From Vision to Reality 

By 2031, four million more people are expected to move to the Golden Horseshoe area. This 

growth will boost our economy by creating two million jobs. It will also require us to find 

suitable living spaces for everyone and to develop new approaches for providing services to 

the region. 

To ensure the pressures of population growth do not compromise our quality of life, we must 

strike a balance between meeting the needs of growing communities and preserving our 

green space. 

The area protected by the Greenbelt is not only instrumental in cleaning our air and filtering 

our water, it also provides our communities with natural beauty. Some of the highest-valued 

agricultural products in the world are grown on land protected by the Greenbelt. 

Safe water: Forests, meadows and wetlands help filter our water, ensuring clean, fresh water 

for about 7.5 million Ontarians. 

Clean air: Curbing urban sprawl helps reduce vehicle emissions that threaten our air quality. 

Quality of life: Ontarians will have trails to hike; parks to enjoy; fresh produce to eat; and a 

secure food supply. 

Facts and Numbers 

• The Greenbelt contains about one million acres of newly protected land. The total area of 

protected land in the Golden Horseshoe is now 1.8 million acres – an area larger than 

Prince Edward Island. 

• The Greenbelt extends about 325 kilometres from the eastern end of the Oak Ridges 

Moraine, near Rice Lake in the east, to the Niagara River in the west. 

• The Greenbelt natural heritage system provides full protection for about three quarters of 

the lakes, wetlands, and forests within the Greenbelt. 

• The Greenbelt stops urbanization in the remaining undeveloped portions of all major river 

valleys south of the Oak Ridges Moraine and Niagara Escarpment. 

• The Greenbelt now protects the headwaters of all major watersheds in the western Greater 

Toronto Area that were not previously protected by the Niagara Escarpment or Oak Ridges 

Moraine Plans. 

• The Greenbelt permanently protects about 100 000 acres of Niagara Peninsula tender-fruit 

and grape specialty crop area. 

• The Greenbelt protects the entire Holland Marsh specialty crop area of over 15 000 acres, 

located in York Region and Simcoe County. 


Greenbelt Background and Objectives 

FACT SHEET #3 

The Greenbelt Act, 2005 

February 24, 2005 

The Greenbelt Act, 2005 protects environmentally sensitive land and agricultural land in the 

Golden Horseshoe from urban development and sprawl. 

More than one million additional acres in the Golden Horseshoe will be protected by the 

Greenbelt, for a total of 1.8 million acres, more than doubling the areas protected on the Oak 

Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment. 

The act gives the government the authority to establish a greenbelt plan containing broad 

objectives and detailing the types of land uses that will be permitted and not permitted. 

The Greenbelt Area 

The act authorizes the government to designate a greenbelt area that would include the 

areas covered by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment 

Plan. While these plans would still apply, the greenbelt plan would add similar protection to 

over a million more acres of land known as “protected countryside.” 

The act prohibits any amendment to the greenbelt area that reduces the total land area of the 

Greenbelt. 

Objectives 

The act provides the framework and lays out broad objectives for a greenbelt plan by: 

• establishing a network of countryside and open space areas supporting the Oak Ridges 

Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment; 

• sustaining the countryside, rural and small towns, and contributing to the economic viability 

of farming communities; 

• preserving agricultural land as a continuing commercial source of food and employment; 

• recognizing the critical importance of the agriculture sector to the regional economy; 

• providing the protection needed to maintain, restore and improve ecosystems in the 

greenbelt area; 

• promoting river connections between the Oak Ridges Moraine, Niagara Escarpment and 

lakes in the region, including Lake Ontario; 

• providing open space and recreational, tourism and cultural heritage opportunities to 

support the social needs of a rapidly expanding and increasingly urbanized population; 

• promoting linkages between ecosystems and provincial parks or public lands; 

• controlling urbanization of the lands to which the Greenbelt Plan applies; 

• ensuring transportation and other infrastructure projects are developed in an 

environmentally sensitive way; 

• promoting sustainable resource use. 


Greenbelt Background and Objectives (continued) 

The Greenbelt Council 

The Greenbelt Council provides advice on the ongoing implementation of the Greenbelt Act 

(Act) and the Greenbelt Plan (Plan), the development of performance measures to monitor 

the effectiveness of the Plan, any proposed amendments to the Plan, and the ten-year review 

of the Plan. 


Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe 

FACT SHEET #4 

Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe 

The “Golden Horseshoe” describes the region surrounding and including the Greater Toronto 

Area (GTA), stretching along Lake Ontario from the Niagara Peninsula in the west to Oshawa 

in the east, and reaching northwards to Barrie. This name was given to the region because of 

its resemblance to a horseshoe surrounding Lake Ontario. The population of the Golden 

Horseshoe was reported to be 6.7 million by Statistics Canada in 2001. The Golden 

Horseshoe represents 59% of Ontario’s population and 22% of Canada’s population. The 

GTA, with 5.6 million people, is responsible for the largest portion of the Golden Horseshoe’s 

population (Statistics Canada, 2001). 

The current City of Toronto, the most densely populated region of the Golden Horseshoe, 

came into existence in 1998 when six municipalities (York, East York, Etobicoke, 

Scarborough, North York, and Metropolitan Toronto) were joined together (City of Toronto, 

2006). Since that time, the population of Toronto and its surrounding areas has continued to 

grow at a rapid rate. The GTA is one of the fastest growing regions in Canada and has seen 

its most significant growth over the past 30 years. Between 1996 and 2001, the population of 

the GTA grew by 450 000 people, with the regions surrounding the City of Toronto 

experiencing the largest proportion of growth (Profile Toronto, 2003). In that time period, only 

one fifth of the growth occurred within the City of Toronto. 

Never before has the population of the Golden Horseshoe grown as rapidly as it is today. 

Approximately 150 years ago, the population of Toronto was a mere 30 000 people, a far cry 

from today’s 5.6 million (Toronto Public Library, 2006). The Golden Horseshoe is Canada’s 

fastest growing urban area and it is estimated that in 15 years, the GTA will be one of the 

largest urbanized areas in North America, surpassed only by New York and Los Angeles 

(Earthroots, 2006). An estimated 115 000 new residents are added to the Golden Horseshoe 

each year (Earthroots, 2006), increasing its population at a rapid rate. 

The GTA has one of the lowest urban population densities for an economic region of its size 

found anywhere in the world, with its population of 5.6 million people spread out over 7 000 

square kilometres. In 1999, the City of Toronto began working on the Toronto plan for the city, 

an attempt to “‘break the mould’ of our current plans and search for fresh strategic 

approaches to city building” (City of Toronto, 2006). The plan proposes strategies for city 

building and design over the next 30 years. This official plan involves strategies for building 

upwards instead of building outwards and was approved in July of 2006 by the Ontario 

Municipal Board (City of Toronto, 2006). 



TASK 

You have been hired to create a storyboard for a documentary film about Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

Use the information from the fact sheets to create your storyboard sketches and captions. 

The first few sketches of your storyboard should address the growth of the Golden 

Horseshoe, followed by the creation and implementation of Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

Your sketches should include sufficient detail for the audience to understand the scene. 

Choose the action for each scene carefully. Each frame should show a significant piece of the 

story being told and the entire storyboard should be a complete and interesting narrative. 

Sample Storyboard Frame 

Add more frames as you develop your storyboard. 


Quality of Life 

Context 

Students examine water systems and ecosystems, and 

then role play various environmental groups that want to 

encourage the government to implement an 

environmental policy to create a greenbelt around their 

city. The environmental group plans a visual presentation 

to increase public knowledge of the need for green 

spaces and a greenbelt development. 

Notes 


Science, English 

Introduction 

• Students think about what they must have to survive and 

discuss where they currently get these resources. (water, 

food, air) 

• Promote discussion with questions. 

Water 

- Where do we get our water? 

- How do we get it? 

- How can we ensure that we will continue to have 

drinkable water? 

- What makes water undrinkable? 

- If 6.9 million people live in the Golden Horseshoe (the 

area surrounding the Greater Toronto Area) and it is 

one of the fastest developing regions in North America, 

where is clean water going to come from? 

Food 

- Where does the food come from in the grocery store? 

- Where do grocery stores get seasonal, fresh produce? 

- Where will food come from if development keeps 

expanding? 

- What effect might this have on land used for farming? 

Air 

- What environmental effects does development have? 

- What causes air pollution? 

- How does expanded development increase air 

pollution? 

- How do green spaces contribute to higher air quality? 


Quality of Life (continued) 

Investigation 

• Students choose a focus for their visual presentation or 

decide on their own topic and have it approved by the 

teacher. (See Quality of Life worksheet.) 

• Students think carefully about whom their audience is and 

what the purpose is (the general public; to increase 

knowledge about the need for a greenbelt). 

• They decide what their message is and how they are 

going to present it. 

• Review the elements of a good visual presentation: the 

amount of text, the placement and sequence of visuals, 

the script, etc. 

Notes 

Consolidation 

• Students write a journal response to respond to the 

question: 

What are some of the important aspects of the 

Greenbelt that benefit society and future generations? 

• As a class, reflect on what made the presentations 

informative and persuasive. 


Quality of Life 

QUALITY OF LIFE 

An environmental group wants to encourage the government to implement an environmental 

policy to create a greenbelt around their city. This environmental group has asked you to 

develop a presentation to increase public knowledge of the need for green spaces and a 

greenbelt development. 

• Choose a message to focus on for your presentation: 

- A greenbelt can contribute to clean drinking water. 

- A greenbelt can protect agricultural land to ensure food security. 

- Green space absorbs pollution and aids with climate control. 

- A greenbelt can help protect species at risk. (Choose one of the 72 officially recognized 

at-risk species living in Ontario’s Greenbelt.) 

• Think carefully about who your audience is and how you will present your message. 

• Think about: 

- the pictures and images you will use. 

- the order you will place the images in. 

- if you will use sound effects and what they will be. 


Species at Risk in Ontario 

Of the 180 officially recognized Species at Risk in Ontario, the following 72 are Greenbelt 

species. This is a conservative list. Several other Species at Risk have ranges in close 

proximity to the Greenbelt. 

PLANTS 

American Chestnut 

American Columbo 

American Ginseng 

American Hart's-tongue 

Fern 

Bird's Foot Violet 

Broad Beech Fern 

Butternut 

Common Hoptree 

Cucumber Tree/ 

Cucumber Magnolia 

Deerberry 

Eastern Prairie Fringedorchid 

Few-flowered Clubrush/Bashful 

Bulrush 

Gattinger's Agalinis 

Green Dragon 

Hill's Pondweed 

Hoary Mountain Mint 

Lakeside Daisy 

Purple Twayblade 

Red Mulberry 

Shumard Oak 

Spotted Wintergreen 

Swamp Rose-mallow 

Tuberous Indian-plantain 

White Wood Aster 

BUTTERFLIES 

Monarch Butterfly 

West Virginia White 

FISH 

Bigmouth Buffalo 

Black Redhorse 

Greenside Darter 

Northern Brook Lamprey 

Redside Dace 

River Redhorse 

Silver Shiner 

AMPHIBIANS 

Jefferson Salamander 

Spring Salamander 

REPTILES 

Blanding's Turtle 

(Ontario) 

Eastern Hog-nosed 

Snake 

Eastern Massasauga 

Rattlesnake 

Eastern Ribbonsnake 

Milksnake 

Northern Map Turtle 

Spiny Softshell Turtle 

Spotted Turtle 

Stinkpot Turtle/Common 

Musk Turtle 

Timber Rattlesnake 

Wood Turtle 

BIRDS 

Acadian Flycatcher 

Bald Eagle 

Barn Owl 

Black Tern 

Cerulean Warbler 

Eastern Yellow-breasted 

Chat 

Henslow's Sparrow 

Hooded Warbler 

King Rail 

Least Bittern 

Loggerhead Shrike 

Louisiana Waterthrush 

Northern Bobwhite 

Peregrine Falcon 

Prothonotary Warbler 

Red-headed 

Woodpecker 

Red-shouldered Hawk 

Short-eared Owl 

Yellow Rail 

MAMMALS 

Eastern Cougar/ 

Mountain Lion 

Eastern Elk 

Eastern Wolf 

Grey Fox 

Southern Flying Squirrel 

Woodland Vole 


A Variety of Perspectives 

Context 

Students use critical thinking skills to analyze 

hypothetical case studies related to Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

In small groups, students examine and discuss the 

perspectives presented within their case. They 

summarize and present them to the rest of the class. 

Notes 


Science, Geography, English 

Introduction 

• Present the following case to students: 

Imagine that our school — after much discussion and 

debate with students, parents and teachers — decides to 

restructure the day so that the lunch period is only 20 

minutes long and the school day ends 40 minutes early. 

• As a class, discuss that most issues have a variety of 

perspectives; groups, individuals and organizations may 

have different positions based on their interests. 

• Students brainstorm the different stakeholders and 

examine factors that determine whether an individual or 

group might be in favour of or against the restructuring of 

the school day. For example, parents who work may be 

against the new school day because they have to arrange 

and pay for longer childcare. Teachers may be against 

the new structure because they feel they cannot run 

extra-curricular activities with the shortened lunch hour. 

The school board might be in favour of the plan because 

they could save money using the same bus company for 

multiple pick-ups with varying dismissal times. 


A Variety of Perspectives (continued) 

Investigation 

• Introduce or review what Ontario’s Greenbelt is and 

explain that for a variety of reasons there are individuals 

in favour of the new greenbelt rules and those who are 

against it. 

• In groups, students examine different perspectives on 

Ontario’s Greenbelt by analyzing an individual case study 

and identify the reasons for these perspectives. (See A 

Variety of Perspectives worksheet.) They read and 

discuss their particular scenario, examining all the facts 

objectively. Then, they decide whether or not they agree 

with the party described, giving reasons for their opinion. 

• Groups present their case and the results of their analysis 

and discussion to the class. 

Notes 

Consolidation 

• Students complete the following statement as a journal 

entry: “The ways that a greenbelt would affect my life 

are…” 

They could use the following questions to guide their 

response: 

- Why are some people in favour of the Ontario 

Greenbelt? 

- Why are some people opposed to the Ontario 

Greenbelt? 

- Why do people have different viewpoints on the 

Ontario Greenbelt? 

- What is your perspective on Ontario’s Greenbelt? 

Explain. 

- What stakeholders do you agree with? Explain why. 


A Variety of Perspectives 

CASE 1: JIM’S TREES 

Jim is a plant biologist who studies trees native to Ontario. He has written a number of books 

that are used widely by individuals for recreational as well as academic purposes. 

Additionally, he runs an active research program at a local Hamilton university and supports 

many graduate students. Jim is very concerned about the future of his research program 

because a number of plant species found within Ontario are endangered, including the Red 

Mulberry, a tree that has been the focus of his research for several years. Jim has identified 

the primary reason for the disappearance of plants such as the Red Mulberry to be habitat 

destruction. 

Jim is considering changing the focus of his research to another species of tree when the 

Ontario government passes Greenbelt legislation preventing any further development on a 

portion of land in Ontario, including areas around Hamilton where the Red Mulberry is found. 

Jim feels that this legislation could help protect the remaining Red Mulberry trees and save 

his current research program. 

Questions for Discussion 

• Summarize the case study in your own words. 

• Identify the key issues and stakeholders involved. 

• How might this impact on Jim’s research decisions? Explain. 



CASE 2: ROB AND ANNETTE’S FARM 

Rob and Annette, a couple in their early sixties own and operate a small farm located in 

southern Ontario. They have grown a variety of crops on this farm for 35 years and have 

earned enough from the farm to raise their children and to live a modest lifestyle. Their farm 

was passed down to them from Annette’s parents and has been in the family for several 

generations. Rob and Annette’s children are grown and pursuing their own careers in 

different locations across Ontario — they have no interest in farming. 

As Rob and Annette get older, they decide that it is time to consider retiring and selling the 

farm. Rob and Annette hope that selling the farm along with their savings will provide them 

with enough money for their retirement. They consult with a few real estate agents and it 

turns out that their land is quite valuable to local developers who are interested in building 

houses on it. 

As Rob and Annette make further plans for selling their property, they learn that their farm is 

in the Greenbelt and can be sold as farmland but cannot be subdivided. The developers who 

were planning on buying their farm are no longer interested. 




• How might this influence their plans and what alternatives might they consider? Explain 

your reasoning. 



CASE 3: JEFFREY’S WATER 

Jeffrey, a single father of three children, lives in a small, rural community in southern Ontario. 

The community depends on groundwater to supply it with well water since there are no large 

bodies of water nearby. Jeffrey learns at a town hall meeting that developers plan to build a 

large residential area close to their small, rural community. 

At the meeting, a local hydrologist (water expert) discusses the effects of urban 

developments on water supplies. He states that since developments pave over land, they 

reduce the natural infiltration of rainwater into the ground. Water in a residential area is 

funnelled into sewers which drain directly into rivers bypassing the natural infiltration of water 

into the soil. The hydrologist is concerned because he believes that the developments will 

reduce the level of the water table that this community depends on for its water supply. 

Some time after the town hall meeting, the local municipal government informs the residents 

that they should expect an increase in their property taxes. These additional funds are 

needed to pay for pipelines that will be built to bring water from a distant lake to the 

community since they will no longer be able to depend on groundwater for their water supply. 

Jeffrey supports himself and his three children with a single income and is worried that he will 

not be able to afford to pay the higher property taxes. As Jeffrey contemplates moving his 

family to another area, he discovers that Greenbelt legislation prevents this area from being 

developed. 




• How might this information impact on Jeffrey’s decision to move out of the area? What 

other decisions might he make? Give reasons for your response. 



CASE 4: BERTA’S ASTHMA 

Berta is an elderly woman who lives alone in a community just north of Toronto. Berta has 

lived here her entire life and is an active member of her local community. Berta suffers from a 

number of respiratory problems including asthma. 

Over the past few years, Berta has noticed that her asthma has been getting increasingly 

worse, especially on hot summer days. On days when the air quality is particularly poor, 

Berta cannot leave the house. Berta hates being restricted to staying inside her small home. 

She is also worried about her health since she has heard that approximately 5800 people die 

each year in Ontario as a result of exposure to air pollution. 

Although Berta does not want to leave her community, she begins to contemplate uprooting 

her home and moving a few hours north of Toronto where the air quality is much better. She 

learns that Greenbelt legislation prevents areas surrounding Toronto from being developed 

further. Berta thinks this legislation might help to improve the air quality because it could limit 

the number of people commuting into Toronto daily by car and adding to the air pollution. 

Berta does not know whether she should proceed with her plan to leave her community or 

stay in her home with the hope that this new legislation will improve air quality. 




• What would you do if you were Berta? Give reasons for your response. 


Investigating Careers 

Context 

Students develop an awareness of careers linked to 

Ontario’s Greenbelt by researching a related job of their 

choice. Students provide relevant information in an 

informational brochure that is presented to the class. 


Science, English 

Introduction 

• Briefly review concepts related to the Ontario Greenbelt, 

what it is, why it was created, and whom it affects. 

• In a Carousel, students brainstorm careers related to a 

greenbelt. 

• Write each of the following as heads on separate sheets 

of chart paper: Recreation, Food Production, Research, 

Conservation, Tourism, and Urban Planning. 

• In groups, students use a coloured marker and one of the 

sheets to record a brainstorm of careers that fall within 

the category. Rotate the sheets until each group has 

added careers to each of the categories. (Each group 

uses a different coloured marker.) 

• As a class, summarize the sheets to create a list of 

relevant careers. Ask students who suggested particular 

careers to clarify their relevance. 

Investigation 

• Using the class list, students research one career that 

they are interested in learning more about and present 

their findings in an informational brochure (See 

Investigating Careers worksheet.) 

Greenbelt Careers 

Recreation 

Landscape architect 

Chef 

Restaurateur 

Entrepreneur 

Resort Owner/Operator 

Field Guide Authors 

Ski-instructor 

Golf-instructor 

Food Production 

Farmer 

Food Distributor 

Market Operator 

Winemaker 

Biosystems Engineer 

Extension Agent 

Veterinarian 

Waste Management 

Specialist 

Horticulturist 

Research 

Scientist 

Graduate Student 

Geologist 

Hydrologist 

Ecologist 

Lab Technician 

Statistician 

Meteorologist 



Consolidation 

• Students peruse the completed brochures displayed 

around the classroom and select five careers that they 

find interesting. 

• Students reflect on and write about their five chosen 

careers using some of the following questions to guide 

their responses: 

- What interests you about the careers you chose? 

- What did you learn about the careers? 

- How do the careers you chose rely on the Greenbelt? 

- How would the careers you examined be different if the 

Greenbelt did not exist? 

Greenbelt Careers 

(continued) 

Conservation 

Park Ranger 

Data Analyst 

Park Manager 

Biologist 

Forester 

Environmental Assessor 

Environmental Lawyer 

Legal Assistant 

Archaeologist 

Remediation Specialist 

Tourism 

Tour Operator 

Travel Agent 

Advertiser/Marketer 

Travel Guide Writers 

Public relations specialist 

Bus Driver 

Urban Planning 

Architect 

Civil Engineer 

Construction Worker 

Economist 

Urban Planner 

Land Surveyor 

GIS Analyst 

Policy Writer 


Investigating Careers 

• Choose a career related to Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

• Research a variety of sources (Internet, books, organizations, interviews, etc.) 

• Use the questions below to help you find relevant information: 

- How is this career linked to a greenbelt? 

- What roles, duties, and responsibilities are involved? 

- What types of skills, talents, and aptitudes are assets? 

- What type of training or education is required? 

- Are there any special certificates needed? 

- Do any special exams need to be written? 

- How can someone begin working towards this career? 

- Are there any interesting stories, facts or statistics related to this career? 

- What is the salary range for this career? 

- Is there any other relevant information that should be included? 

• Organize your research into an informational brochure that is engaging and visually 

appealing. All surfaces of the brochure should be covered using a combination of text and 

graphics. 

If you wish, use computer software to design your brochure. 

• Use these questions to make sure your brochure is complete: 

- Is the brochure visually appealing? 

- Is the information well organized and presented so that it is easy to follow and 

understand? 

- Have you provided all the relevant information? 

- Have you included the sources of your information? 

- Have you had someone proofread the brochure? 


A Town Hall Meeting 

Context 

Using the Internet, students research different people’s 

perspectives of Ontario’s Greenbelt. They assume the 

role of a stakeholder and present their ideas through a 

town hall meeting. 

Notes 


English, Science, History and Geography 

Introduction 

• Define a town hall meeting. 

Many small towns and communities hold a town hall 

meeting to discuss important issues. The citizens are 

aware of the upcoming meeting because it is posted in a 

notice with the agenda. The meetings are designed to 

ensure that all the people living in the town/community 

have an opportunity to contribute their ideas to the issue. 

Investigation 

• Describe the scenario: 

The government has decided to hold a town hall meeting 

so that everyone’s voice can be heard with regard to the 

Greenbelt legislation. 

• Assign different stakeholder roles and descriptions to 

groups of students. (See A Town Hall Meeting worksheet.) 

Select a moderator (the teacher or someone who can 

keep the discussion on track) and a Board (another 

teacher or students who have not participated in the 

research activities). 

• Students examine their research through the eyes of the 

stakeholder group they are assigned. They take a 

position on the issue of the Greenbelt and develop 

arguments for their opinions. 

• Each group has five minutes to present their prepared 

statement to the assembled group. The moderator can 

allow questions either after each speaker or at the end of 

all the speakers. 


A Town Hall Meeting (continued) 

• Once all stakeholders have presented their statements 

and questions have been asked and answered the Board 

is asked to vote. 

Notes 

Consolidation 

• Students act as reporters and write a newspaper article 

about the town hall meeting, answering the questions: 

Who? What? Where? When? and How? 

• Students reflect on their articles: 

- Is their evidence of bias in their articles? 

- What can the bias be attributed to? (the role that they 

played in the town hall meeting, the most eloquent 

argument, strongest supported argument, the size and 

the support of the group). 

- How can they revise their article to show a balanced 

perspective? 



ROLE 1: FARMERS 

The Golden Horseshoe is one of the fastest growing regions in North America. The Greenbelt 

Alliance identifies the Golden Horseshoe as growing by more than 115 000 people per year. 

At this rate, in 15 years, it will be the third largest urban region in North America behind only 

New York and Los Angeles. Since the Golden Horseshoe and its surrounding area provide 

some of the most fertile lands in Ontario, it is important there be plans in place for the 

expansion and development that come with the growth of population. In 2005, the Greenbelt 

Act and Plan came into effect, protecting the sensitive environmental land around the Golden 

Horseshoe from further mass development. 

Scenario 

You represent the many farmers in the area of Ontario’s Greenbelt. The farmers want the 

right to decide what can be done with their land. Too much development causes problems 

with the groundwater they use to water their crops. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe would affect farmers. 

List both positive and negative effects of the Greenbelt on a farmer. 

• Research what the perspective of Ontario farmers would be in terms of Ontario’s 


• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against development in 

this region. 

• Formulate an argument, based on your research that supports your position. To do this, 

find at least three key facts and statistics to support your argument. 

• Create a three-minute argument to present at the town hall meeting. 

• Think about what other stakeholders might offer as contradictions to your arguments. 



ROLE 2: ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES IN THE GREENBELT AREA 









Scenario 

You represent one of the many municipalities in Ontario’s Greenbelt. As a municipality, you 

want the right to decide how your community’s land will be developed. The Greenbelt 

provides an opportunity that would allow for the creation of an eco-tourism industry in your 

area. This industry will provide jobs to people within your municipality. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think the Greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe has affected your 

municipality. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt on your area. 

• Research what the perspective of an elected official in the municipality of Pickering would 

be in terms of Ontario’s Greenbelt. 

• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against the Greenbelt Act, 

2005. 

• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against the development. 







ROLE 3: DEVELOPER 









Scenario 

You represent a developer in the area of Ontario’s Greenbelt. The developers want the right 

to continue to develop the farmland around the Golden Horseshoe. You are willing to add 

green spaces and trees to your development design. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe would affect 

developers. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt for a developer. 

• Research what the perspective of Ontario developers would be in terms of Ontario’s 



2005. 

• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against the development. 







ROLE 4: LAND OWNER 









Scenario 

You represent some of the many land owners in the area of Ontario’s Greenbelt. You enjoy 

being close to green spaces and not in an over crowded city. You are committed to 

preserving the natural habitats for wildlife and plants. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe has affected 

landowners. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt for a land owner. 

• Using the Internet, research what the perspective a landowner might be in terms of 

Ontario’s Greenbelt policy. 


2005. 



• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against the development 





ROLE 5: NATURALIST 









Scenario 

You represent a naturalist club in the area of Ontario’s Greenbelt. You enjoy being close to 

green spaces and appreciate the eco-tourism that the greenbelt provides. You are committed 

to preserving the natural habitats for animal and plant life. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe has affected 

naturalists. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt for a naturalist. 

• Research the perspective a naturalist has in terms of Ontario’s Greenbelt Policy. 


2005. 

• Using your research and your own ideas, decide if you are for or against the development 







ROLE 6: GRAVEL PIT OWNER 









Scenario 

You represent the owner of a sand and gravel pit in the area of Ontario’s Greenbelt. You 

already have a mine in the area of the Greenbelt. You are committed to rehabilitating the land 

after you have mined for aggregate. You provide jobs for the people in the area. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe has affected sand and 

gravel pits in the Golden Horseshoe. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt 

for a gravel pit owner. 

• Using the Internet, research what the perspective of most gravel pit owners might be in 

terms of Ontario’s Greenbelt policy. 


2005. 







ROLE 7: LOCAL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY 






expansion and development that come with the growth of population. In 2005, The Greenbelt 



Scenario 

Working for the local conservation authority, you want to ensure that natural resources 

(forests, wetlands, wildlife and water) are well managed and protected for future generations. 

You are aware of the economic impact natural resources have on an area. You are committed 

to ensuring that water resources are protected in order to sustain the people and wildlife 

living in the area. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe has affected the 

conservation authority’s responsibilities. List both positive and negative effects of the 

greenbelt for a conservationist. 

• Using the Internet, research what statements conservation authorities have made in 

regards to Ontario’s Greenbelt policy. 


2005. 







ROLE 8: ECO-TOURISM OPERATOR 









Scenario 

You own a company that offers eco-tours (hiking, biking, canoeing, etc.) in and around 

southern Ontario. Your company provides jobs to people that live in the area of Ontario’s 

Greenbelt. You are committed to preserving the natural habitats for animal and plant life. 

Research 

• Brainstorm how you think a greenbelt around the Golden Horseshoe affects someone who 

owns an eco-tours company. List both positive and negative effects of the greenbelt for an 

eco-tourism operator. 

• Using the Internet, research how Ontario’s Greenbelt policy has affected businesses that 

thrive from the natural environment. 


2005.

Ontario's Greenbelt - Curriculum Services Canada

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