KITCHENER -- Ontario says it is planning to expand the province's Greenbelt by adding a moraine south of Toronto and a series of urban river lands to the protected area.

Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark says the government has proposed adding the Paris Galt Moraine, which runs approximately from Caledon, Ont., to Brantford, Ont, to the Greenbelt, and goes through Waterloo Region and Wellington County.

Wednesday marked the beginning of 60 days of  pulbic consultation to help guide the decision over what areas should be included.

Mike Schreiner, a Guelph MPP and leader of the Ontario Green Party, says if the province is serious about the environment, they need to look at other high profile projects.

"Don't go pave over the Dufferin Hills wetlands, don't go fast-tracking the GTA west highways," he said. "It's going to pave over 400 acres of the green belt and 2,000 acres of prime farmland.

"Reverse the gutting of conservation authorities. These are all actions the government has taken that's going to have negative consequences on the integrity of the green belt."

The province announced that roadway construction would be allowed through the green belt after intense environmental consultation.

The government also says the plan would add lands around the Don River in Toronto and land around Duffins Creek in Ajax, Ont., and Pickering, Ont.,to the protected area.

Clark says the government will launch a 60-day consultation on its proposal today.

He says the government will not consider requests to remove any lands from the protected area.

The province created the Greenbelt in 2005 to protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area from development. Clark says this will be the largest expansion since it was created.

With files from The Canadian Press.