Watch the video and take action!Share to help us spread the word Webinar Recap Thanks for registering for our 5th Conservation Matters webinar, ‘From $prawl to Land Back.’ We had a great turnout on Wednesday night and our guests shared valuable insights on how the fight to #StopSprawl connects to the movement for Indigenous rights, sovereignty and Land Back. We took action together to call on the City of Hamilton to reject developer-driven plans for continued urban sprawl. Then we finished with a lively Q&A and a call to keep taking action to win this fight. When we work together, we win! Organize to Stop Sprawl. The City of Hamilton is actively considering expanding its urban boundary right now. Urban sprawl benefits no one except wealthy developers, and it hurts the rest of us by destroying precious farmland and natural areas, locking in car dependence and straining city services. And, underlying all that, is the fact that this is taking place on stolen land. It’s critical that as many people as possible respond to the City’s current survey about the proposed urban boundary expansion, but many have not received it in the mail. Fortunately, organizations within Hamilton are working to help people overcome this barrier. Our first speaker on Wednesday night, Nancy of Stop Sprawl Ham Ont, has not only worked to keep people informed about issues related to sprawl, but also worked alongside Wellington Water Watchers to develop an online version of the survey for those that either didn’t receive a copy in the mail, or would like to have their entire family participate. She provided updates about actions against sprawl in the webinar, and gave a step-by-step walkthrough for answering the survey online. Farmers feed cities After that, Chris Krucker of Ontario Federation of Agriculture spoke about farmer’s concerns regarding urban boundary expansion. Currently, only 5% of land in Southern Ontario is arable, so we can’t afford to lose more. Remember, farmers feed cities. Skyler Williams, Danielle Boissoneau, and Makaśa Looking Horse shared important insights on the movement for Indigenous rights and sovereignty Our final three guests on Wednesday night spoke about the importance of building relationships with water and land. We discussed how far Canada still has to go on everything from Indigenous land title to basic human rights, including access to clean drinking water and safe living spaces. As Skyler put it, "[T]his is our land. We have the right to say no. We should not be criminalized for refusing to consent when developers want to pave over our lands." CONSULTATION ≠ CONSENT Calls to action! Here’s how you can help.
Building momentum & growing the movement Thank you all so much for the show of support we've seen so far! Thanks to those who registered and came out to the webinar and to those who shared this event with your community. As of July 1st, the developer trying to build a subdivision on unceded Haudenosaunee territory has officially cancelled construction. Congratulations to those at 1492 Land Back Lane. This shows that direct action works! We encourage you to continue taking action to make your voice heard regarding urban boundary expansion in Hamilton. Our success with Ancaster Creek Wetlands and headwaters shows that our voices are being heard. Let’s keep the pressure on! From local fights like Stop Sprawl to climate tragedies like the heatwave and wildfires ravaging the west, more and more people are waking up to the need for collective action on the climate emergency. Can you invite a friend who’s concerned about the climate to volunteer with Hamilton 350? Ask them to join you at our next general meeting on Wednesday, July 7 or check out our welcoming document to get started. Comments are closed.
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