I have grave concerns…

I have grave concerns regarding the amendments to Greenbelt protections through Bills 23 and 39. My concerns are many.

1) These amendments will not, contrary to the claims of this government, improve access to housing for those who currently cannot access it. The reason being, most Ontarians currently renting cannot afford the average home on the market. Building homes on luxury and long-sought property is not going to solve the issue. The wealthy will be able to afford these homes, and will in turn want a return on the high price they paid for homes in the GTA to move homes. Most of those currently trapped in the rental market cannot afford single detached homes. If they could, they would already MOVE OUT. The lack of guarantees and protections for low income housing, multi-dweller properties, geared to income housing and the assured sprawl into precious land will do nothing to improve a situation in our cities for those who are primarily transit reliant.

2) The removal of environmental protections and developer fees is shameful and serves only the lobbyists who snapped up this land awaiting these amendments and will financially benefit most from these bills. Without environmental protections, we will not only lose valuable farmland and rich soil forever, it will be irrevocably damaged for the sake of profit. Without developer fees, the costs of infrastructure to support these new communities will be downloaded onto tax payers of Ontario who are not benefitting from these grand new homes. This lack of infrastructure - police, fire, schools, which this government has shown a complete disregard for staffing and maintaining in their current number - is also why these housing developments will not correct the existing housing concerns in our cities. No one is going to move their children to an area without schooling/services unless of course, they are wealthy enough to pay for it privately.

3) We are in a climate crisis and fast approaching the point of no return. Perhaps the Premier and older members of Parliament do not care, but I would like to see my nieces and nephews grow up in a planet that can survive to their senior years. Destroying valuable land that can feed us and provide us oxygen and renew our air is foolhardy and simply greed. Money is worthless if you're choking on CO2 and can't spend it.

4) This government and the Premier explicitly promised not to touch the Greenbelt. They campaigned on that promise, TWICE, and are now playing an Uno Reversal card for the benefit of their lobbyist donors having secured a majority government. That is disregarding the mandate of the people. Further, leaked video of backroom meetings alluding to this forthcoming legislation prior to the recent election, coupled with the shocking loans taken out by developers to acquire then undevelopable land, smacks of corruption and conflict of interest. The route of the proposed new highway serves lobbyists and these proposed developments as well, and not the broader interests of Ontarians. The ethics of these proposed bills, which include the "Strong Mayor" powers that allow John Tory to override the will of the Toronto people - a region that overwhelmingly voted AGAINST the governing party - speaks to a concerted effort to circumvent democracy to the financial benefit of lobbyists and the PC party. Until an independent inquiry can be undertaken to examine the potential of kickbacks, collusion and bribery, neither bill can be allowed to proceed. Indeed, Doug Ford and Steve Clark should immediately step down.