The cities of the Grand River watershed are among the fastest growing in Ontario. The surrounding agricultural areas are among the most productive in the country. The cost of all this development - urban and rural - has been high as many natural areas have been paved over, drained or cleared.
It's often suggested that even as we grow, we should try to "live within our means" or "live within the carrying capacity" of the natural environment?
Is that possible? Have we reached - or already passed - a tipping point? Does it make sense to talk about sustainability in such an intensely developed area?