In the face of unprecedented…

In the face of unprecedented and accelerating biodiversity loss and the ever-worsening climate crisis, it is vital that your government do its utmost to protect the farmland, wetlands, forests, rivers and other natural areas that sustain us. As Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force explained in its 2022 report, we do not need to sacrifice environmental protection to address the housing crisis. That’s because “a shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem.” (p.10) There is a vast supply of land already open for development within existing municipal settlement boundaries.

I urge you to 1) withdraw all amendments likely to weaken the protection of farmland and natural heritage; and 2) retain and uphold the role of the public, CAs and regional municipalities in environmental planning and decision-making.