Research ApproachThe purpose of the study was to determine what areas of land in Southern Ontario’s Greenbelt require the highest level of protection from development based on ecological, hydrological and agricultural values in association with existing policy guidelines in order to maintain the integrity of the act and the values that shape it. Research Objectives Objective 1. To define suitable ecological, hydrological and agricultural factors for the purpose of ranking land area that requires the highest level of protection against urban development pressures, tentatively based on the amendment of the Greenbelt Act. Objective 2. To identify the related policy plans under the Greenbelt Act and order the level of significance based on how strict the policies are in each designated area; rank them on a common scale. Objective 3. To develop a GIS-based model that applies the factors of analysis, producing output values in geographic representation that outlines the importance of protection from urban development for each area. Objective 4. Use the GIS model’s output to provide an evaluation of protected sites, the level of protection and the possibility of allowing development. Objective 5. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the MCE model. Previous Page: Home Page: |