Bill 23 should be shelved…

Bill 23 should be shelved until more thought can be given to where new housing in Ontario should be located. Certainly, we should not be paving over chunks of the formerly "protected" greenbelt with the excuse that it is suddenly mandatory that it be developed. That is not only wrong, it is moving us backward in terms of protecting the environment. Additional housing must be located in existing cityscapes, and that will involve housing density and building upward. It should be obvious that local people know what should be preserved when it comes to heritage properties and landscapes. Again, to suddenly give individual mayors "strong powers" so that they can ignore the will of duly elected municipal councillors erodes our democracy. The will of the people must be reflected by listening to the voices of all elected officials, not merely a few of them. Bill 23 should be shelved.
I am an Ontario resident and I vote. I am not impressed with the current government's willingness to introduce legislature that was never mentioned in its campaign promises. Actually, we the people were promised that the greenbelt would always be protected. Promises must be respected and honoured.
Finally, there's an old saying: "More haste, less speed." This rush for new housing smacks of a lack of thinking the problem through thoroughly.