I am a young Hamiltonian,…

I am a young Hamiltonian, completing a Masters Degree in Architecture in Toronto. The entirety of my life and education has existed along side the Greenbelt and I have come to appreciate the remarkable attributes it provides. The proposed amendment to the Greenbelt will not benefit Ontarians, it will subsequently dimmish the food security, carbon sink qualities and environmental protection policies of the future. The evidence is greatly adequate to assume these negative impacts various studies such as the one attached demonstrate the importance of protecting this specific land in its entirety. The fundamental values of Greenbelt protection benefit all stakeholders within a community, "By providing this protection, the Greenbelt has the potential to act as a long-term safeguard for the valuable stock of natural capital within the Greenbelt, whose ecosystems offer a broad set of benefits including the provision of clean drinking water, improved air quality, and vital natural habitat (David Suzuki Foundation, 2012)." Not only does the expansion into protected land cause environmental issues, it leads to social and economic costs aswell, not economic gain. “It has an economic, environmental and social cost. Instead of building new neighbourhoods, we should intensify those that already exist and add services and shops within walking distance, according to experts (CBC/Radio-Canada, 2022)." As a future architect in the province of Ontario, there is evidence of the importance of gentle densification as a solution for all members of a community rather then the urban sprawl of development which in turn has no benefits.