RE: ERO 019-6813 Review of…

RE: ERO 019-6813 Review of proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement to form a new provincial planning policy instrument

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and the PPS (ERO 019-6813). Below, please find my comments regarding the policies proposed.

The Province of Ontario’s proposed combination of the Provincial Policy Statement 2000 (PPS) and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Growth Plan), presents policies and definitions not required for the creation of more, and affordable, housing, which we had been led to believe was the problem Ontario was trying to solve. The policies proposed in the replacement of the PPS and the Growth Plan are going to harm communities, commuters, the environment, and people, all while not addressing the problem Ontario purports to address: affordability.
The proposed changes to the PPS and Growth Plan are taking the province back to the development approach of the 1950’s and 1960’s, when anything could be built anywhere. It has taken the past 50 years to ‘heal’ the impacts of these short-sighted development decisions and to develop policies and legislation which consider development for the long term benefit of this province. We strongly recommend that the 1950’s approach to development not occur again. The integrity of this province has too much to lose in the short and long term.
It is very clear that the proposed policies and legislation were prepared based on the direction and to the satisfaction of the building industry and land development associations. Municipalities of all sizes were excluded from the discussion and yet the municipalities will be expected to do the approvals and to provide the various services. The citizens and taxpayers of this province deserve much better: science-based land use planning, which appreciates and respects all residents and landowners, not only developers and future developers.