The proposed amendments…

The proposed amendments should not be approved. The amendments do not align with the goals of the Greenbelt plan, and they are not needed to fulfill the policy objectives of the More Homes Built Faster plan.

The amendments do not align with the goals of the Greenbelt plan - protecting sensitive lands from development. The amendments will likely result in net additional development on sensitive lands. The government plans to encourage development on the lands being removed from the Greenbelt, so there is a high probability these lands will be developed. On the other hand, parts of the lands being added are already protected from development by other levels of government. In particular, Urban River Valleys are likely already protected under watershed management policies, and parts of the Paris Galt moraine are protected under a natural heritage strategy of the City of Guelph. Therefore, we will likely see net additional development in the long term.

The amendment is not necessary to fulfill the policy objectives of the More Homes Built Faster plan, because there is more than enough land to build additional homes within existing development boundaries. This can be achieved by building on vacant lands already zoned for residential development, redeveloping lands currently under commercial use, and/or increasing the density of residential areas.

Furthermore, any new homes built on the lands that the amendment proposes making available for development would not be "attainable" for the very people that the More Homes Built Faster plan is supposed to help - newcomers, young people, and seniors. These new homes would be far from jobs and existing transit infrastructure, which would make residents dependent on cars for daily trips. Car ownership is expensive and requires a driver's license. The new homes would also likely take the form of low-density suburban single family homes, which tend to be more expensive.

In conclusion, these amendments should not be approved, because they would undermine the Greenbelt plan, and they do not actually support the More Homes Built Faster plan.