Hello, In order for this…

Hello,

In order for this comment to be published I will not include the specifics of my employment or education, but suffice it to say I have an advanced science degree as well as years of work experience in the field of aquatic science research and regulations. Beyond the obvious dangers to wildlife that would accompany any reductions to the Greenbelt (habitat destruction, contamination of soil and water, loss of ecosystem services) there is a serious threat to freshwater that I have yet to see addressed by the Ford government. It is well known and documented in the scientific community that road salt use in Ontario is leading to the salinization of our freshwater systems. Even marginal increases to salt concentrations are devastating to freshwater organisms we love and rely on. Road salt easily runs off roads and enters streams and lakes, and 40-90% of it can enter our groundwater to continue to leech into our surface waters over years and years. By adding any amount of roads and other impermeable surfaces to the Greenbelt you are immediately putting aquatic life and OUR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY at risk of becoming completely unusable in the not so distant future (not to mention fisheries, recreation, water clarity). The Greenbelt is home to important groundwater recharge areas such as the Oak Ridges Moraine (I have included a link to the Ontario.ca page about why it is important if you care to catch up). If people want to continue living in the GTA they will need their aquifers uncontaminated by road salt, and other chemicals introduced by development, not to mention that we will swiftly lose much of our diversity in freshwater species as most are extremely intolerant of increased salinity.

If you couldn't be bothered to read here is the summary: development on greenbelt = more roads = more road salt = salinization of freshwater in Ontario. The situation is already dire. Many of us are working tirelessly to try and fix this issue, please do not make it worse. I have attached a sampling of pertinent peer reviewed articles corroborating my claims.