In view of climate change…

In view of climate change that is ravaging cities around the world, this is the most damaging proposed legislation. This legislation should be withdrawn. Cities need to meet with the Province of Ontario to explain why they do what they are doing, demonstrate why it is the best and works for them, before any of this is even considered.

Cities need all the tools and finances within their powers to plan for, abate, and remediate the effects of climate change that has become the norm in the 21st century. To not permit mandatory green building/construction standards, including as part of site plan control, to remove references to “sustainable design” from site plan control, to stipulate that zoning cannot be used to require sustainable elements, actually contributes to greater vulnerability of our dwellings and infrastructure to the effects of climate change.

Who will pay for the extra costs that will be incurred over the centuries following? Will insurance companies pay this? Will the taxpayers have to foot the bill? Will cities become even more unliveable?

Cities know best what works for them, and they should continue to lead the way with the best, most efficient and best policies and official plans for the environment, for infrastructure, housing, and green space. This legislation blames cities for the housing crisis, and puts them in a straitjacket of non-conformist legislation that stifles innovation, sets back years of environmental progress, and dumps all these extra costs and externalities back upon the municipal taxpayer. Is this fair?

Here is a quote from one rural official published in the media:
“Anything that we require as a standard to protect the environment or reduce emissions through the planning process, we could no longer do if this bill passes as is — including requiring developers to make sure there’s a tree in every yard,” one rural Ontario official said in an interview. “That essentially means that we can’t hold developers accountable, and we’ll have to spend money ourselves to fix what they don’t do. So brace for impact, I guess.”

Effect of increased municipal costs (taxes) will be that people will continue to leave Ontario for the rest of Canada.