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By Lee Greenberg, The Ottawa Citizen September 22, 2010
TORONTO — The City of Ottawa caved to pressure from land speculators when it allowed wetlands in the west end to be drained, rather than preserved in their natural state, according to the province’s Environmental Commissioner.
Gord Miller highlighted the Goulbourn Wetland Complex in his 2010 report to illustrate an example of conservation failure in the province.
The environmental watchdog says the land west of Stittsville should act as a “cautionary tale”.
“There’s a general game in land use that’s been going on for some time,” he said, explaining that land developers often buy land just outside urban boundaries and attempt to have it rezoned for development. “And in this instance it’s being played on a provincially significant wetland.”
The Goulbourn Wetland Complex, which straddles Flewellyn Road west of Stittsville, was designated provincially significant wetland by the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2004.
The designation puts restrictions on development and clearing.
Owners of the 265 hectares fought the designation, arguing the land was only wet because it wasn’t properly drained.
The city, helped by the ministry of housing and municipal affairs, ultimately agreed with that request.
Miller criticized the decision to relent in his report released Wednesday.
“We found that landowners in Ottawa used the Drainage Act to undermine provincial policies protecting provincially significant wetlands found on their property,” he said.
“Wetlands contribute tremendously to water quality, biodiversity, to habitat for species. They’re essential features on our landscape. The provincially significant designation is not one put casually on anywhere.”Council voted earlier this month to drop plans to drain the land, which was slated to cost an estimated $1.64 million. The case cost the city $381,000 in engineering reports and a landowner’s petition.
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