Hi, I am not an expert, but…

Hi,

I am not an expert, but I have been living in Ontario for most of my life and have seen sprawl eat up farmland and forests.

Keeping the Greenbelt intact is essential for many reasons: preserving it for future generations to enjoy rather than to make a few developers rich; we need as much green space as possible to provide a carbon sink in our battle against the climate crisis; and many Ontario citizens enjoy the benefits of the Greenbelt now, in the form of hiking opportunities, clean air, local food sources as well the economic benefits of tourism (sprawl is not a tourist attraction).

Many experts are saying the same thing: using Greenbelt land for housing is both short-sighted and unnecessary.

"These proposed actions would also take away farmers' rights to appeal development decisions that could harm their land and farm businesses and would make it much easier for land speculators to turn irreplaceable farmland into unsustainable urban sprawl.” Max Hansgen, president of the National Farmers Union for Ontario

Also:

"These proposed actions by the Province will not solve the housing and affordability crisis," said Geordie Dent, executive director of the Federation of Metro Tenants' Association, in a statement.

Premier Ford has stated that opening up the Greenbelt to development is necessary to deal with the housing crisis: “We have a housing crisis that we didn’t have four years ago. We are going to make sure we get housing built.”

But four years ago, he said: “We won’t touch the Greenbelt. We’ll figure out how to clean up this housing mess – this crisis – that we’re facing in a different fashion

If he felt it was possible four years ago, what has changed? He has given no evidence that the Greenbelt land is needed for housing.

The Ontario government’s own Housing Affordability Task Force has stated:

“A shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem. Land is available, both inside the existing built-up areas and on undeveloped land outside greenbelts.” A bigger problem, the report said, is that Ontario hasn’t used the land it has efficiently.

This isn't a housing bill. This is a ploy to make developers rich as the the people's expense – and the expense of endangered species and our province's future.

I shudder to think of what our province will look like in 20 years if the Ontario government's plans go ahead.

Thanks for listening.