Building Long Term Care on sensitive Moraine lands between Mary Lake and Provincially Significant Wetlands makes no sense –
it is the Wrong Place!

Protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine is essential as this is the headwaters for over 65 rivers and streams that feed critical wetlands and agricultural lands in southern Ontario. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) was established by the Province in 2002 as a regulation under moraine specific legislation to protect and preserve the Oak Ridges Moraine. But now King Township staff and Council have allowed egregious precedent-setting exceptions to the ORMCP to permit the development of lands between Mary Lake, a rare kettle lake and parts of the largest Provincially Significant Wetland complex in southern Ontario. Yes, long term care is critically needed but this is the wrong place – on the moraine, outside the King City settlement area where there are no municipal services or public transit.

Three well-respected environmental organizations have come together, with the help of Small Change Fund, to try to stop this precedent-setting development on the Oak Ridges Moraine: Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM), Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT), and the Kingscross Ratepayers Association (KRA) have retained legal counsel to seek a Judicial Review of King Township’s decision to allow this development to proceed. 

All of us who are involved in this action support and understand the need for more LTC in King Township. Our opposition is where this development is being proposed – outside King City and right beside a kettle lake and the habitat needed for threatened birds, fish, amphibians, and other wildlife and in contravention of the ORMCP.

Many residents have expressed their opposition to this application through well researched and articulated verbal and written deputations at Committee of Adjustment and Council meetings but to no avail.

King Township planners have declared that long-term care had previously been provided on this site to a few aging Augustinian brothers despite absolutely no evidence to support this claim. Instead, there is evidence that demonstrates that the ailing brothers were sent to local nursing homes for continuing long-term care. There are many examples of much more suitable locations for seniors needing care – in the settlement areas and close to transportation for staff and visitors with local community support and access to amenities. We can and must do better for our seniors who need care.

Residents fighting this application have no other choice but to request a Judicial Review of King Township’s decision. The legal fees for this action are estimated to be in the order of $75,000.00.

All donations in support of this action would be gratefully accepted.

Your donation will make a difference!

Thank you for caring about protecting the Moraine.