Thanks, City Neighbours!

Thanks to our many new friends at Green Neighbours 21 for an excellent meeting in Toronto! And thanks to all of those who gave up playoff hockey (Boston 5, Toronto 2) for an evening of terrific presentations about the need to protect the prime farmland sitting on Toronto’s doorstep. Bill Lishman was eloquent and passionate as he recounted the 40-year battle over the Pickering Lands. The 18,600-acre swath of Class 1 farmland was expropriated in the 70s by the federal government for an airport that was never built. Bill’s vision is for the land to be restored to sustainable farming so that fresh, local food can be delivered to Toronto just 30 minutes away. His goal is captured in a powerful video which can be viewed below.

Watch here

The Food & Water First campaign was also welcomed enthusiastically at the meeting. The mega quarry battle engaged urban residents in a way that no other rural issue has in the past. It appears even more “city folks” are determined to stand up for the land and water that sustain us, and plan to do so under the Food & Water First banner. Lawn signs, window signs and other materials were snapped up! For sign depot locations, visit our Spring Planting page!