I am strongly opposed to the…

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019-6216

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77194

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I am strongly opposed to the destruction of the greenbelt lands this proposal would cause for the following reasons:
(a) The Premier and his Ministers have vowed on many public occasions that the greenbelt would not be used for development. They lied. This means that from now on we cannot believe anything the Premier or his cabinet Ministers say.
(b) The Ontario government has no mandate from the people of Ontario to enact this legislation because it was in no way part of the election platform of the Ford Conservatives.
(c) A cursory look at the maps show that the re-designated lands are close to waterways and drainage courses. These wetlands are essential to absorb excess water in wet periods and provide water in dry periods mitigating the effect of climate change.
(d) All the Conservation Authorities are opposed to this greenbelt destruction. They have the knowledge and experience and commitment to preserve the natural environment in the Province - Premier Ford does NOT.
(e) This amendment to the Greenbelt is completely unneeded. One thing we do not need is more urban sprawl which this proposal would encourage. We need to use the land we have more prudently than we have in the past. We need to stop building single-family home on large lots and singe stores with large asphalt parking lots. Municipalities know how to do this.
(f) The fact that developers purchased some of this re-designated land very recently is very suspicious. We know that many of these developers are friends of Premier Ford and contributed to his reelection. This definitely needs to be investigated by legal authorities before this proposal can proceed.
(g) I was very pleased with how quickly Ford backed down when CUPE was supported by most Ontario unions in opposition to the use of the "Notwithstanding Clause" and Ford's disregard for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. There are many citizens, young and old, prepared to take overt action to stop this terrible and poorly thought-out amendment.