I strongly oppose this…

I strongly oppose this proposal as it has significant negative impacts for the environment and threatens the future of our Greenbelt. For starters, there is no evidence that this swap is net-positive for the environment as the urban river valleys being added are already protected through other mechanisms. While protecting the Paris-Galt Moraine is a good idea, we need to see the evidence that the ecological value of protecting this land outweighs the cost of destructing 7400 acres of protected land. In addition, there is no need to remove these parcels from the Greenbelt as the government’s own Housing Affordability Task Force has shared that “A shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem". While there is a shortage of housing in this province, there is sufficient land in other areas (especially Northern Ontario) that should be used for development while creating walk-able, mixed-use developments that reduce sprawl while increasing the quality of life for Ontarians. Futhermore, performing a swap within the Greenbelt opens the opportunity for future governments to make changes to protected lands and harm the environment in unimaginable ways. What is the point of a Greenbelt if it can be developed at the whim of a government?