The potential impact on Mono and Mulmur of recent provincial legislation aimed at creating a greenbelt and regulating growth will be the subject of an education event Saturday in Mono Centre.

Sponsored by the Mono Mulmur Citizens Coalition (MC2), the meeting is to be attended by representatives of at least two government agencies involved in the new legislation.

In December, 2004, the Province passed a Greenbelt Plan, which includes the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine. Last June, the government's "Places to Grow Act" came into effect, targeting a growth rate of 40 per cent for the Greater Golden Horseshoe by 2031, including Dufferin County.

A Provincial Planning Policy Statement of 2004 has required each municipality to revise its official plans to take account of these changes in legislation, which Mono and Mulmur have now done. The implications of these policies and plans are still unclear and may significantly affect the quality of our lives here in the Headwaters area.

Set to run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Saturday's session will be held in the lower hall of the Mono Community Centre. It's aimed at raising MC2 members' awareness concerning the impact on Mulmur township and the Town of Mono of these potentially conflicting pieces of government legislation.

"We will also include the impact of planning decisions made by our local municipalities. This event should be an excellent opportunity to raise your awareness and engage in discussion with your neighbours, friends and others in your area about the growth and development issues that will be affecting the communities where we live," said spokesperson Cathy Noonan in a letter to the members which warned that seating will be limited to 60 places and local councillors and other politicians have been invited to attend.

"We are fortunate to have representatives from the two government agencies involved in these pieces of legislation," she said. "In addition, the planners from Mono, Mulmur and Orangeville will join us as will a representative from the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

They will form a panel who will each briefly address the issue of growth for the short term and for the long term for the organization they represent."

The panel will include Darryl Lyons, Manager, Community Planning and Development, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Greenbelt Legislation); Jason Thorne, Manager, Partnerships and Consultation, Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (Places to Grow); Mono planner Mark Early; Mulmur planner Ron Mills, and Orangeville's planning director, James Stiver. (A member of the Niagara Escarpment Commission's board of directors is also expected.) Ms. Noonan said that

although incumbent candidates in the Nov. 13 municipal elections are welcome to attend as "an important part of the process of going forward with growth and development issues," they would be attending "as neighbours and ordinary citizens, not as holders of or contestants for office."

Non-members of the Mono Mulmur Citizens' Coalition who attend are invited to offer a voluntary contribution of $10.