While I believe we need to…

While I believe we need to correct the housing supply issues, I do not think the proposed action plan to develop the Greenbelt is the right course of action. I would like to see a study outlining the region's capacity to build on land currently owned by the city or province that is not part of the green belt. I understand such a study was conducted and concluded we have enough land. If this is the case, we should pursue this opportunity first. Second, the proposed changes will leave the municipalities with a budget shortfall, as developers are not required to fund certain infrastructure to service the new homes. The new homes will destroy protected land and, ultimately, raise our municipal taxes due to the shortfall. The provincial government is downloading the costs to the municipalities and the people living there. Lastly, protected land is critical for food security, water supply, and ecological diversity. To reverse protection for the benefit of urban sprawl and the economic windfall of a few is the definition of wrong. It doesn't represent what Ontarians want, which is progressive policies that build a sustainable future. Bold policy is not paving over protected land; it's finding a way to meet demand without sacrificing the future. We have more land than any other country in the world, and somehow destroying our most prized commodity is all we've come up with?? Come on, Ontario, we are better than this!