Hello, After reviewing the…

Hello,

After reviewing the proposal to amend the Greenbelt Plan, I would like to provide some comments to consider as a private individual. The Plan as proposed appears to be focused on opening up parcels of land for development in areas which have limited connections to key urban infrastructure (i.e., public transit, schools, commercial areas) as opposed to directing municipalities and opening up other unused Government-owned land/real estate in urban areas where these connections have been established.

The Greenbelt is home to some of the remaining arable land in Ontario, and Ontario continues to lose farmland to non-agricultural land uses. This has the potential to make Ontario vulnerable to supply chain impacts for food access, especially given climate change already impacting crop yields. Having access to local produce helps both economically and on a sustainable perspective, as consumers can purchase locally while reducing the size of the carbon footprint involved with continuously importing produce outside of Ontario for 12 months continuously.

The Province should be working with municipalities in addressing the "missing middle" development opportunities. Missing middle housing such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and mid-rise buildings should be the focus for development in municipalities and encouraging municipalities to focus on this as opposed to high value condominium projects I believe would contribute better. While neighbourhoods understandably may take issue with large condominium projects on main roads, encouraging better land use in designated urban areas can contribute to the Province's goal of building homes. There should be evaluation of real estate already owned by the Province (and even Federally) which can be redeveloped into middle housing given the changing state of the workplace shifting towards supporting a hybrid workforce.

The Province should also consider the potential damage development on the Greenbelt may have on Ontario's natural ecosystem. Some areas within the Greenbelt may not be suitable for development due to the land quality or what the land is used for (i.e., as a wetland) so consideration should be made on that front.

Ontario is fortunate to have a vast land size which it can utilize, but it should be utilized in a manner which is environmentally conscious and providing access to the needs people require for a livable community.