Dear Premier and Honourable…

Dear Premier and Honourable Minister,

I ask that you withdraw Bill 23 in its current draft as it will permanently damage Ontarians democratic rights, human rights, and the ecosystem. I ask that broad consultation take place before this bill is submitted again.

This bill DOES NOT address the housing crisis at all. Instead, this bill reads as a blatant, political attempt to ruin specific municipalities and setback environmental movements for generations.

I stand in solidarity with the issues of Bill 23 as articulated by ACORN Canada, The Ontario Headwaters Institute, Environmental Defence and South JT GROWs.

I, personally, am gravely concerned with the following issues in Bill 23:

● This is a clear violation of citizen rights to voice opinions on developments that will directly impact neighbourhoods
● This Bill should include a stronger and more specific definition of affordable housing and local municipalities should be consulted on this
● This Bill should address needs for rent control and irresponsible rental hikes by landlords
● The Bill must address the infrastructural issues as a result of increased density. "If growth will not pay for growth, existing taxpayers will." (Ottawa Citizen )
● The Bill eliminates almost all third-party appeals to the Ontario Lands Tribunal. The Act strips community members and groups like South JT GROWs of their democratic right to engage in fair and due process by representing their interests to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). While I am not a direct member of the South JT Grows group, I follow their important work on behalf of our neighbourhood. This Bill is a blatant and unashamed attack on their rights to participate in tribunal proceedings.
● There should be increased fees for proposals with luxury or unaffordable rentals. This Bill will increase the number of unaffordable luxury condos within Toronto, wasting precious space in Toronto while citizens will continue to go unhoused.
● There is FAR too much power delegated to the Minister of Housing, who cannot possibly understand the nuances of local communities. Stop the overreach and let local communities with proper expertise make these important decisions.
● Renters living in purpose-built rentals are more at risk of being evicted with this Bill. We need to build more homes, but not at the expense of affordable homes — this bill needs to include stronger supports for rental replacements for longer than 20 years as a result of new developments
● The Bill reduces the capacity and power of conservation authorities to protect our environment and help ensure we build in a safe and sustainable way. Building suburban sprawl is expensive for municipalities AND the province in the long term
● This Bill must do more to support the Missing Middle
● The mandating of municipalities to have one year to update zoning bylaws to reflect official plan policies concerning a major transit station area is a recipe for disaster.
● Developers should NEVER have more rights than local city planning and citizens.
● Developments should never be able to proceed “as-of-right” instead of requiring a rezoning application — this step is important in responsible and democratic development.

Finally, this Bill will result in more difficulty for both municipalities and the future of this province! This bill also reads as a “carte blanche” for private developers to make huge short term profits at the expense of working-class Ontarians. Please withdraw this bill and consult with the public. You claim you are “ for the people.”

This bill does NOTHING for the people. It only serves to enrich the developers.

Avoid another colossal failure after the CUPE negotiations by simply withdrawing this Bill and do the right thing by all communities in Ontario: work with stakeholders to significantly rewrite it.