I believe this is an…

I believe this is an extremely short-sighted plan which will only increase the already rapidly growing urban sprawl of the city, contribute to higher congestion across Toronto highways and streets, as well as remove a substantial portion of the already limited green space and conservation areas around the Greater Toronto Region.

The province should not be trying to expand the mass suburbia which already surrounds Toronto, in a manner which almost every urban planner has described as the most inefficient way to create mass housing. There are many areas within the city of Toronto (i.e Toronto's West end) which zoning laws do not permit buildings to be higher than 5 stories. Many of these areas are close to subway stations and public transit, making them much more suitable areas for high-density and mass housing than currently than the currently protected land of the greenbelt. These regions can be re-zoned to allow for construction of high-density housing in the form of high-rise multi-purpose and residential buildings. Focusing home-building efforts on creating high-density housing areas with existing and accessible services has been the overwhelming consensus by urban planners as the most effective and economic way to create short-term and long-term housing. The province's plan, as it stands, goes entirely counter to the recommendations of professionals, and will almost certainly result in higher congestion on Toronto's highways (as if that isn't already a problem), an increase in GHG emissions as a result of more vehicles, and a number of economic inefficiencies compared to high-density housing alternatives.

The biggest city in Canada should be setting an example for the rest of Canadian cities on how to properly develop its housing infrastructure over the coming years. We can choose to succumb to urban sprawl and ultimately suffer the same fate of many American cities (Detroit, Chicago), or we can follow the model of successful and lively European cities which due to policy choices and geography constraints, have not been consumed by urban sprawl. Therefore, I believe it would be better for the province to look into ways to support the re-zoning process and housing development within the city of Toronto, before removing lands from the province's already dwindling conservation areas.