Please accept this as my…

Please accept this as my comments regarding the proposed changes to the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), ERO #019-0279.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to changes to the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS).

The proposed changes would degrade Ontario's environment with little to no benefit for Ontarians.

Changes aimed at increasing housing supply run counter to the fact that there is enough supply, as outlined by the recent Neptis study titled "An update on the total land supply: Even more land available for homes and jobs in the Greater Golden Horseshoe";

Changes aimed at increasing housing supply would increase urban sprawl, which is a form of pollution as it locks in a high-carbon lifestyle for decades to come. This, of course, runs counter to the government's stated intention of reducing carbon emissions. This is also an extremely inefficient form of development, requiring more resources, including aggregate. These activities have negative externalities of their own, which is a cost to citizens;

Following on the note about extraction, the allowance of aggregate extraction in natural heritage features provided that the long-term rehabilitation can demonstrate no negative impacts on the natural features or their ecological functions is misguided, at best. Natural heritage features and ecological functions do not operate in isolation, and changes, even short-term, have knock-on effects that cascade throughout the wider ecosystem;

The language is often vague and unclear, leaving questions as to how changes will be implimented. For instance, the above qualification regarding "long-term rehabilitation" provides no indication of what length of time this might be. Given a long enough timeline pretty much anything will revert to some semblance of normalcy.

The intention to "add flexibility to the process for settlement area boundary expansions (e.g. allow minor adjustments subject to specific tests, highlight that study requirements should be proportionate to the size/scale of development)" is concerning. Fragmented, spread out development is not an efficient build formula. Why encourage it by reducing the rigor required for smaller developments?

Contrary to the government’s stated intent many of the proposed changes to the PPS will diminish protections for the natural environment and farmland across Ontario. Overall, the proposed changes do not present a balanced approach to land use planning and they unduly favour aggregates extraction and development over other provincial interests, in particular natural heritage and agriculture.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to changes to the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) that would undermine protections for significant and at-risk wildlife and habitats and fast-track development at nature’s expense. Specifically, I request the following:

• Remove section 2.5.2.2 which would allow aggregates extraction to trump protections for significant wetlands, woodlands and wildlife (including species at risk) habitat.

• Retain existing requirements for compact development, efficient use of infrastructure and policies to achieve intensification and redevelopment targets (sections 1.1.3.6, 1.1.3.7 a and b, and 1.6.7.2).

The following excerpts from the City of Hamilton, Planning staff echo very similar worries being expressed by environmental groups and concerned citizens in Simcoe County and across Ontario with the current provincial government's proposed Provincial Policy Statement review (ERO# 019-0279 ).

The current provincial government's proposal of “market based” changes that will make it easier for developers to pave over farmland will effectively shift planning approvals “from a municipal-led approach to a developer-led one.”

“There are no policies within the document which speak to the importance of taking measures now to prevent or avoid climate change.”

“Seeing as the fight against climate change is a race against time, and actions need to be taken immediately to prevent irreversible impacts from climate change, it is an omission in the policies to not include direction to fight and prevent climate change at both the provincial and local levels through a variety of actions.”

Further, all of the changes proposed henceforth must take into account and give precedence to the urgent need to combat climate change.

Any amendments to the PPS must be evaluated against the urgent need to respond effectively to climate change and biodiversity loss, two of the greatest challenges of our time.

When governments promise to fight climate change without a price on carbon pollution but won't commit to strong policies to reduce this carbon pollution any other way, chances are they will end up doing next to nothing — just like Ontario has been doing.

In summation, the changes proposed by the current provincial government, just some of which are noted above, are not in the best interest of Ontarians.

In light of this, I ask that the proposed changes be withdrawn. Stronger consideration, including greater public consultation, must be given to changes that so greatly impact how we develop as a province.

Respectfully,