I am writing to state my…

I am writing to state my opposition to the proposal to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt, which was revealed on November 04. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE LAND FROM ONTARIO’S GREENBELT AREA!
Not only is this proposal terrible for the health of our province and unlikely to produce any additional housing, but it also goes against the Premier’s word and goes against Minister Steve Clarke’s assertion that “we’re not going to entertain any conversations about a land swap” on the Greenbelt.
Even raising the possibility of removing any land from the Greenbelt will create a speculative rush and intense development pressure on all the lands currently within the Greenbelt.
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANY LAND FROM ONTARIO'S GREENBELT! IT IS THE GREENBELT FOR A REASON!

It’s no wonder people don’t vote. Why bother, when it seems that promises made aren’t kept too often?
Why pay attention to a politician’s platform when we suspect it is nothing but lies to get votes? Premier Doug Ford said he wouldn’t touch Ontario’s Greenbelt, and many believed him. I would wager there isn’t a single person in this province who doesn’t believe that his housing plan is simply a way to appease his developer buddies. We all know, there is no need to carve portions out of the Greenbelt for the building of homes. In his usual way, Ford acts without thinking things through, ignoring the experts and public opinion.
The land swap sets a precedent for other developers to push to have their lands removed as well. This is not the end of it. This is the start. Every single landowner with Greenbelt land will start lobbying the government. And we will see more of this until there is no more Greenbelt.
Where did the government actually get the list of proposed properties that they want to remove? It raises all sorts of suspicions about connections between the government and the landowners in question.
Earlier this year, Ontario’s government-appointed Housing Affordability Task Force said a shortage of land isn’t the cause of the province’s housing crisis. “Land is available, both inside the existing built-up areas and on undeveloped land outside greenbelts.” The task force went so far as to say that the Greenbelt, along with other environmentally sensitive areas and farms, must be protected.

Instead of building the wrong homes in the wrong places (million-dollar mansions on the Greenbelt), let’s build where people, especially young people, want to live: in affordable 15-minute communities where people can be close to jobs, family, shops and transit.
We need to abandon the false choice between “tall and sprawl” by allowing the construction of fourplexes and walk-up apartments in neighbourhoods, along with midrise housing along arterial roads and transit corridors — not just transit stations. And we need to innovate to provide ownership opportunities within triplexes, fourplexes and walk-up apartments in existing neighbourhoods.
We can build more homes in existing built-up spaces and create a livable, affordable, climate-friendly future where young people and newcomers can find an affordable place to call home in walkable, healthy, connected communities. Opening up the Greenbelt will only add to urban sprawl, enrich wealthy speculators and weaken the very role the Greenbelt was meant to serve.
Premier Ford, please keep your promise not to touch the Greenbelt! Please continue the legacy!