To whom it may concern: My…

To whom it may concern:

My name is Lucrezia Chiappetta, I am a resident of Caledon and Co-Chair for ecoCaledon, a local non-profit championing climate action in the Town of Caledon. I am writing to provide comments on Bill 23 the More Homes Built Faster Act.

First and foremost, I DO NOT believe any conservation lands should ever be sold for development. These lands are needed for habitat, flood prevention and to act as carbon sinks - sequestering more carbon than they release.

Currently, there is already a large quantity of land designated for development in the Town of Caledon - therefore, there is no need to designate any additional land for urban development.

We need to be bold and innovative and we need to act quickly if we want to escape the worst impacts of climate change. Our focus should be on creating sustainable communities through gentle density and mixed-use communities that are Greenbelt friendly, farmer friendly, wildlife friendly and build climate resilience amongst residents.

Secondly, I believe that the Bill will GUT the Green Development Standards many municipalities have put in place to make new buildings sustainable and energy efficient, with the goal of bringing down local emissions.

I am a big believer that our community can grow SUSTAINABLY! The Town of Caledon has a plan for healthy and complete neighbourhoods that offer a mix of housing opportunities, a wide range of community amenities, and easy access to the goods and services we require daily without always needing a car.

I am committed to advocating for the implementation of green development standards (currently being developed by the Town’s Energy and Environment Department) that would ensure energy efficiency, active transportation, greenspace, tree canopy and proximity to amenities is required by developers. Furthermore, I am committed to advocating to retrofit existing communities in order to improve accessibility and connectivity within existing areas - allowing for better active transportation.

I know that Ontario residents value clean air and water, protected wildlife and greenspace, local food, climate change action and a healthy future for all residents. I hope that you will consider amending and removing sections of Bill 23 and take the time to properly consult the public.

Sincerely,

Lucrezia Chiappetta