Nearly 70% of King Township is on the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) and is covered by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP).
Do you want to read the legislation? Do you want to look at the maps? Do you want to know if you are in the natural core or a natural linkage area? To answer these questions or to find out about the function and value of the moraine visit these websites:
Threats to the Moraine in King
Our beautiful countryside with its open spaces and undulating hills attracts people and development – individual applications, subdivisions and business. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan allows development within criteria; too often interpretations of the criteria and planning decisions favour the developer as opposed to protecting the Moraine.
For example, CCKT has objected to the 4th golf course at Cardinal because of the use of pesticides and its water consumption. Regarding water use: anticipated total water taking at Cardinal will be over 1 million litres of water per day which is about 6% of the daily savings for the whole of York Region in the Water for Tomorrow conservation program; 80% of water used is lost due to evapotranspiration. It also needs to be remembered that part of the proposed new course is located in an area of “high aquifer vulnerability” on provincial maps. Unfortunately, it is on track to be approved.
On July 30, 2008, Ecojustice and Earthroots released a report reviewing the negative impact of golf courses on the Moraine. To read a summary of the report: www.thestar.com/article/469579. To read the whole report: www.ecojustice.ca/publications/ontarios-water-hazard
How you can help protect the Moraine in King Township?
Volunteer to help evaluate developments on the ORM using a tool kit called Monitoring the Moraine (MTM). The latter was designed to engage and sustain community volunteers in environmental and policy monitoring across the moraine. www.monitoringthemoraine.ca
If you see wetlands being filled in, call the Township 905-833-5321 or Toronto and Region Conservation Association (TRCA) at 416-661-6600 to determine if permits have been granted.
Remember: wetlands on the Moraine clean our water and provide habitat for birds, frogs, fish and other species. The Humber River, Rouge River, Schomberg River, the canals of the Holland Marsh and many other rivers receive their base flow from the moraine rivers; they flow south through Toronto into Lake Ontario and from the north side of the moraine into southern Lake Simcoe. Today, aquifers of the Moraine provide drinking water for 250,000 people, including all the rural wells in King Township.