It is inevitable that…

It is inevitable that Ontario will need additional housing capacity over the next decades due to population growth in the region. Having said that, the decision to take over 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt to build housing is not only counter productive but also damaging for the environment and bad for humans and the diversity of the eco-system. During my time at Metrolinx, we did numerous studies that provide very strong linkage between overall prosperity of communities and population density.

There is over 88,000 acres across the GTHA that are already designated and ready for development. What reason does this government have to start development in an environmentally protected region which will not only be ruinous for the environment but push the population density out further and increase reliance on highways/cars and in turn also further increase our carbon footprint?

My suggestion for the Government is to invest funds in building quality vertical housing (high rises/condominiums/apartments) which will not only be be able to much quickly solve the problem of the housing crisis but also help with bringing communities together (rather than increasing the problem of urban sprawl). In addition, the government should invest in high quality public transportation which will further help with building stronger and happier communities.

I do not support the governments decision to take over additional 7,400 acres of farmland in the protected Greenbelt. There is no reason to not utilize the available land available in the GTHA (and surrounding communities) for this development. Environment protection and human prosperity are closely linked and the survival of our species depends on protecting green spaces for the future generations!