I am the Chair of the KW…

I am the Chair of the KW Chapter, Council of Canadians, and I serve on the CofC national Board as the representative of all Ontario Chapters. In my civil society role, as well as a citizen of Waterloo Region, I had the opportunity to consult and comment extensively on the Waterloo Region 30 year Land Use Plan, which received near unanimous approval by the local city and township councils as well as by the Regional Council.
We are all justifiably proud of this plan, which met the criteria imposed by the Province while also safeguarding our countryside lines, our greenspaces and essential farmland, and our natural groundwater filtration areas. The Plan is designed to make the best use of properties as they come available to build multiuse dwellings, and to address the needs of 'the missing middle', as well as to provide affordable housing. The Plan was designed to support '15 minute communities' where people can walk, bike or roll to shopping, schools, recreation and parks, work, and other services; communities that will be anchored by our LRT and supporting public transit bus system. The Plan helps us to meet our goals of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030. Where there is modest expansion in the countryside, it is to support housing options for residents who wish to remain there as they age, and/or to support current businesses like the International Airport and supporting warehouses, etc.
In short, the Waterloo Region Plan was exceptionally well crafted and we're all justifiably proud of it - it ensures growth without sacrificing quality of life for future residents.
I am frankly appalled and enraged that the Province wishes to set this Plan aside in order to appease developers who want more urban sprawl, that would pave over some of the best and most essential farmland in Ontario, compromise our natural water filtration, and add literally millions in costs for new sewer, water, power, and road infrastructure THAT IS NOT NEEDED to our property tax bills.
I'm sick at heart to know our excellent regional planners have been told to find work elsewhere and most have already done so.
I'm horrified that our Grand River Conservation Authority's role and powers to protect our water and environment are being gutted by the Province, again to appease developers.
Make no mistake, we identified far more housing opportunities to address future growth projections than are needed, so the Province's arbitrary intervention and intention to set aside our Plan is totally unnecessary, unbelievably costly to taxpayers, and will cause irreparable damage to our greenspaces, our farmland, and our natural groundwater supplies.