I write this comment knowing…

I write this comment knowing that this government has shown it will push legislation through without regard for public consultation dates, because it has no respect for its constituents. This government has proven itself to be incompetent and out of touch, but even the most cynical residents would expect that it would not act with such hostility toward the land on which it resides. This proposal is not just unhelpful, it's wilfully destructive. Explaining why this is a terrible idea feels like trying to convince an arsonist why they shouldn't burn down my house. Every government prior to this one understood the value of the Greenbelt and why it is vital to protect its biodiversity and not build on it. While I live in the GTA, the health of the Greenbelt affects us all, from reducing flooding to keeping wildlife from taking over public parks. As weather patters become more extreme and species become threatened, the Greenbelt is even more precious.

Politically, protecting the Greenbelt is as close to a 'slam dunk' as it gets, since there is no rational reason to want it destroyed, so I can only assume the Ford government is trying to appease the handful of developers who split their time between bossing the premier around and supporting neo-fascists in Europe. It also will not help the housing crisis, since single-family homes are prohibitively expensive for most residents and the land you want to bulldoze will not even make a measurable impact on available inventory. If this government wants to work on housing, they need to focus on the cost of living, and investing in making our cities more livable.

No one is buying the lie that the province is "growing" the Greenbelt by adding random acres, because we understand that the specific qualities that make up the Greenbelt are inherent qualities of the land itself, so you can't just designate other areas as part of this unique environment. There is no compromise to be made here - it just shouldn't happen. This whole endeavour is insulting to our intelligence as your constituents, and demonstrates a childish contempt for the province you chose to serve.