I recognize the challenge…

I recognize the challenge Ontario is facing, and I agree that we need more housing, but I strongly oppose Bill 23.

Bill 23 will put housing in the wrong places! A shortage of land is not the problem. We have seen in other municipalities that they can meet housing needs from within existing urban boundaries. Thousands of Londoners came together to create “The London Plan” which talks about building “inward and upward”.

By building within the existing urban boundary, we optimize investments we have already made in infrastructure, making future growth more affordable. We DO NOT need to sacrifice nature for housing.

I strongly disagree with the weakening of Conservation Authorities and limiting their ability to comment and issue permits. We need Conservative Authorities to continue to protect our precise natural areas as they are core to climate change mitigation and adaptation, flood protection, biodiversity conservation and recreation.

We have seen in the pandemic, the need for natural places for our mental health. I am incredibly disturbed that this current Ontario government does not prioritize the well being of it’s residents.

Protections such as the requirement for provincial approval for the sale of conservation land will be replaced with simply a “notice of proposed disposition”. This is a clear lack of transparency.

Bill 23 will also prohibit Conservation Authorities from providing Municipalities with the information they need in order to start protecting conservation lands themselves when they consider land use planning approvals. Municipalities will no longer be allowed to contract with municipalities to provide reviews of planning applications. Most smaller municipalities do not have staff to do this specialized work.

This Bill would remove the power of Conservation Authorities to regulate or prohibit the destruction of woodlands, wetlands, river or stream valleys, within their jurisdiction, in almost every case. It does this through Section 7 of the Bill, which would amend s. 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act to exempt any project that has received land use planning approval under the Planning Act from Conservation Authority regulations regulating water-taking, interference with rivers, creeks, streams, watercourses, and wetlands, or controlling flooding, erosion, conservation of land, or impact on species at risk.

PLEASE do not pass Bill 23. There are other answers to our housing crisis. Destroying our precious natural areas is not the issue.