I am fiercely opposed to The…

I am fiercely opposed to The Ontario government’s plan to open up protected land on the Greenbelt for development.

We don’t have to choose between protecting the environment we love and building the housing we need. The provinces Housing Affordability Task Force made it very clear that the housing crisis is not caused by a lack of land to build on. Planning experts are unanimous: urban sprawl is an environmental and economic disaster. We need to build homes where people want to live – near jobs, transit, shops and entertainment, where they can work and play without long commutes.

The Greenbelt creates almost $10 billion in economic activity and supports over 177,000 local-full time equivalent jobs. It is also vital to our province’s food security.

In addition to my concerns about the Greenbelt, I am deeply concerned about many of the components of Bill 23 and its associated policy proposals.

Bill 23 will further the destruction of critical natural areas in a time of climate crisis while also failing to deliver the urban transformation – or the affordable housing – that Ontario needs.

I’m writing to you today in support of the Greenbelt, Conservation Authorities and Ontario’s wetlands, woodlands and other natural areas. Please desist from removing any lands from the Greenbelt, withdraw the plan to open up the Greenbelt to sprawl development and repeal Bill 23.