I am strongly opposed to the…

I am strongly opposed to the proposed changes that the provincial government wants to make to the Provincial Policy Statement. I believe that the weakening of provincial planning rules will result in increased sprawl that will threaten farms, forests, other natural areas, and freshwater sources. The houses that developers will build in areas that are currently rural will not address the housing crisis because they will be unaffordable for most people and will not be accessible to public transit. The resulting sprawl will not only add to traffic congestion and Increased emissions, but it will compromise the carbon sequestering and flood prevention that natural areas provide; the long-term food security for Ontario; and the availability of clean water. There is no question that more housing is needed but research has shown that there is available land in urban areas that already have access to services that are easily accessible. Recent communication from a spokesperson for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark stated that “Providing choice to people about the types of homes that are available is important to ensuring the overall livability of our province.” If the government is really concerned about the “overall livability of our province”, it will reconsider the planned changes to the Provincial Policy Statement so that affordability, access to services, food security, protection of natural areas and the environment are priorities when making policy decisions.