Did you see our letter to Halton Hills Council?
It appeared in Halton Hills Today in January. We asked Councillors to uphold the town’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2030, and to apply a climate lens to every decision they make. Click to read the entire letter.
Stop the 413 Rally in Milton November 2024
Rally attendees heading from MP Adam Van Koeverden’s office to Main Street in Milton
A great crowd showed up to oppose Highway 413 and ask for a federal Environmental Assessment, which could scuttle this highway. First at the office of federal MP Adam Van Koeverden, then down Main Street to the office of Milton MPP Zee Hamid. Phil Pothen of Environmental Defence urged the crowd to ask MPs for the Environmental Assessment. Folks attended from Georgetown, Mono, Caledon, Erin, Vaughan, Toronto, Oakville and Milton. Read all about it in Halton Hills Today.
Petition presentation
Mike Schreiner presents 413 petition
We collected about 1200 signatures this summer on our petition to cancel Highway 413. Mike Shreiner, Guelph MPP presented it to the Ontario Legislature in November. Watch the video.
“Later is too late” rally October 1st
Over 100 showed up on a rainy day. There were similar events at 70 places across Canada.
Photo by Greg Coman
There was lots of interest in the Eco Fair tables. A young participant made his pinwheel in the children’s corner.
A good crowd showed up on a sweltering day for our rally and parade in June 2024. The speakers were excellent, including GDHS student Matthew, crouched at centre, Jane in purple and Susan in white shirt kneeling.
Georgetown Farmers’ Market
June 2024
We engaged with many people who were aware of our group and the 413 and wanted to know more. It’s not a done deal! We saved the Greenbelt: we can force the province to back track on this highway too. Several people took “Stop the 413” lawn signs.
Glen Williams Town Hall open house
October 2023
Many folks were interested in what our group is doing. The laptop ran a slideshow of people all over the province rallying to save the Greenbelt - including us.
Gas plant? No thanks!
In December 2023 we packed Halton Hills Council chamber where Councillors voted No to a proposed fossil gas plant expansion after nearly five hours of presentations and discussion. Several Councillors said they were swayed by floods of messages we generated from people in their own wards.
16 year old Matthew spoke eloquently. “Your grandchildren will come up to you and ask, ‘What is snow?’ How come you didn’t do enough to stop this?”
Our Greenbelt webinar was a huge success
Over 200 people from all over Ontario signed up for this September 2023 event, just four days after Doug Ford reversed course and gave back the Greenbelt. Five wonderful speakers energized their audience, urging us to keep up the pressure, to challenge the province’s unethical land grabs that let speculators cash in on Canada’s best farmland. “Nothing is a done deal” said one. People pressure works.
Here’s the Zoom link to view the webinar. Enter this passcode: 1GBPwebinar!
Race to Net-Zero event at Acton arena April 2023
Lots of people dropped by to take our poll, learn about sprawl forced on Halton Hills by the province, and put on a “Hands off the Greenbelt” button. They also checked out electric vehicles, a bike swap, and many other booths dedicated to environmental protection.
Queen’s Park February 2023
Save the Greenbelt, stop Bill 23, stop sprawl. We were joined by hundreds of nurses, teachers, Indigenous and environmental activists. This was billed as a “Welcome Back Doug” party after the legislature’s long winter break.
Huge rallies all over Ontario!
From Niagara to Muskoka, Brantford to Ottawa, there were at least 80 noisy rallies in November and December to stop sprawl and save the Greenbelt. We were at a few of them. Major media noticed. We hope Doug Ford did too.
A few of the 60 people (and two dogs) who joined us at a Georgetown rally in November.
Stop the 413 - October 2022
We walked a 5 km loop on Winston Churchill Boulevard past farms that could be sacrificed to this expensive and unnecessary highway. We started at Freestyle Farm, a lovely equestrian centre that could be lost. More than 50 people joined us from Toronto, Burlington, Mississauga, Milton, Waterloo and Halton Hills.
Arrival at Freestyle Farm to Stop the 413
Queen’s Park giant rally for climate May 2022
Earth Day Rallies April 2022 Georgetown and Acton
February 2022 Eco Film Fest
At a Fridays for Future rally in Orangeville, March 2022
November 2021 Stop Highway 413
Just some of the crowd who lined Mountainview Road in Georgetown South
October 2021 Walk for the World
Between Georgetown’s two high schools, in advance of the Glasgow climate summit.
September 2021 rally
A great turnout. Drivers honked in support as we lined up along Guelph Street in Georgetown, days before the federal election.
March 2021 Stop the 413 rallies in Georgetown and Acton
People showed up from Halton Hills and all around the western GTA, including farmer Monika defending her fields, and a chipmunk begging for woodlands and green spaces.
Our rallies were front page news in the Georgetown Independent. Monika with pitchfork also appeared in some editions of a front page Toronto Star story about this highway. “Friends with benefits” drew direct links between developers and members of the Doug Ford government.
December 2020 Fight for 1.5 degrees
“Fight for 1.5 degrees” was our message to the world, which has little to celebrate on this 5th anniversary of the Paris Accord. The earth has already warmed by 1.2 degrees and world leaders keep dithering. Jane, Janet, Monika, Angelika and a polar friend were at a Georgetown park.
Happily, the federal government was listening. :- ) They announced an aggressive climate plan two days later.
Shoe Strikes September 2020
Our shoes represented everyone at home during pandemic lockdown.
Monika’s polar bear got a lot of attention at the Acton Shoe Strike.
Shoe strike September 2020. Our shoes represented us!
A pop-up march through the mall before the federal election in fall 2019.
And another pre-election pop-up at the GO station.
Congratulations Spencer Lippa, the Grade Seven student who spoke so eloquently at three of our 2019 events. He has been named an Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year “for promoting civic action and democratic participation”.
Georgetown rally demands action on climate change
May 3, 2019 - “Climate change is not a lie. Do not let our planet die!” was the battle cry heard across Dominion Gardens Park Friday afternoon as local children, adults and politicians gathered to raise awareness about the dire state of the natural environment.