As a conservation ecologist…

As a conservation ecologist with over 19 years of experience and as a resident of the GTA, I strongly oppose the removal/redesignation of any Greenbelt lands. The lands are among the last refuges of nature and farmland amid the sprawl, and needed to support the people and wildlife that live in and around them. These lands are not needed to accommodate growth - we already have enough developable land and it seems clear that this “proposal” is intended to benefit developers without any clear benefit to Ontario’s natural heritage or existing residents. Development of these lands will result in irreparable ecological harm, regardless of what “offsets” may be proposed. This includes species at risk that should be protected under existing provincial legislation, but then again this government changed the rules so those species can be bought too.

I feel betrayed by this government, and specifically Doug Ford who promised not to develop the Greenbelt. And I take issue with the lack of consultation and transparency - how can a bill be passed while the consultation period hasn’t even closed yet? This is not meaningful or genuine consultation, this is just “checking a box”, because if this government really cared what its citizens wanted, you would be actively listening, before charging forward to meet the interests of a privileged, select few. This is not democratic. How dare you wipe away decades of environmental protection and stewardship, farming, and natural heritage all so that Ford’s developer friends can make millions in profit.

Please do the right thing. Revoke Bill 23. Use the smart minds of your staff to figure out more housing, without sacrificing protected lands, natural heritage, local government and conservation authorities. Should this bill proceed, it will be the ruin of the GTA, and small and medium towns across the province.