Yesterday, while driving…

Yesterday, while driving through what used to be the countryside, north of Brampton, we must have seen a dozen land development signs sitting in fields of corn and naturalized meadows. One sign for “towns and singles” even had the audacity to advertise the development as “Countryside living “. Ironic, considering that by the time the concrete is poured and a sprawling subdivision built, there will be no countryside left.

Statistics show the amount of agricultural land lost each day in Ontario continues to increase. Once paved over, it is likely lost forever. Simultaneously , the global population continues to increase and extreme weather events continue to negatively impact food production yields. We must create a provincial plan that is evidence-based and ensures both people and the ecosystem within which we are a part, are protected.

While I commend the Ontario government for offering targeted financial support to farmers (such as to beekeepers and grape growers financially impacted by extreme drought and heat the last two years) and creating a new conservation area in Prince Edward County, such achievements should not be considered a license to remove farming communities or develop over wildlife habitats in other parts of the province.

It is a dangerous gamble to think, “Oh, there’s plenty of forests, wetlands, meadows, and agricultural land left in Ontario. We’ll be fine!” One look at the Globe & Mail’s Canadian wildfires map shows, starkly, how quickly land can be lost.

Protect the Greenbelt.

Build housing and commercial developments within existing urban boundaries.

Build in and up. Still today, in 2023, new shovels are digging up fields of corn for “singles and towns”, with not a single apartment building or co-op high rise, in an area without public transit or nearby employment opportunities. Have we learned nothing? This is not a plan for a sustainable future.