I’m saddened by the Ministry…

I’m saddened by the Ministry’s proposal to remove areas of the Greenbelt as part of a “More Homes Built Faster” initiative. I would much prefer the government pursue a “More Homes Built Thoughtfully” plan than the current proposal to remove Greenbelt lands under development pressure across the GTA , replacing them with land which is already largely agricultural.

The principle behind the creation of the Greenbelt was and is to protect land which is under development pressure. Ideally, the government would be adding to the Greenbelt in areas where development pressure is growing, such as the Paris Galt Moraine, not removing it from areas where pressure is greatest.

The Ministry proposal supports urban sprawl which increases servicing costs for us all and diminishes greenspace in areas where it is desperately needed by large urban populations instead augmenting it in areas far removed from these populations. Yes, we need more housing, but paving over agricultural land and removing environmental protection from headwaters that supply the GTA with water is neither “smart” or “strategic”. The houses to be built quickly will not be the affordable homes so desperately needed in Ontario. They will be oversized and car dependent and will in turn demand more road and highway development in the Greenbelt. Developers prefer the current proposal because buying tracts of agricultural land makes building easy and profitable. However, this kind of development costs Ontario residents more in property taxes, in loss of accessible greenspace, and in loss of local food sources.

The bold action the province needs to take regarding housing is not to pave over Greenbelt land with new housing subdivisions and highways to service them. The bold action required is more medium density infill housing (low-rise multi-units) and rezoning to promote such housing. The government should be providing more financial shelter assistance to low-income families and to support creative and sustainable affordable housing initiatives.

Housing experts argue that we don’t need more agricultural land for housing, we need more medium density housing within existing urban boundaries. This is a more costly proposition for developers, but like every other industry they must learn to adapt to new priorities and needs in a time of ecological crisis. We know what makes livable cities, it’s not condo towers and single detached homes with nothing in between. It’s walk
able neighbourhoods with many amenities, with mixed housing, and good public transit. That is not what’s being proposed.

Let’s be “strategic” and “smart” and focus on thoughtful planning for the future. Let’s protect our local agricultural land. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Let’s re-zone and build the housing stock we need within our existing urban boundaries. Let’s keep our infrastructure costs and property taxes low by creating communities that provide mixed housing, amenities, high walkability scores, bicycle lanes, and public transit. These are the necessary ingredients for more equity and affordability in our cities.

The future is here now. Relying on thoughtless old school urban sprawl only increases our individual and municipal costs, makes our environment less sustainable, and perpetuates food and housing insecurity.

I recommend the government reject this proposal, go back to the drawing board with the assistance of housing specialists—not development interests—and create a bold vision for Ontario’s housing future.