Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal.

I would like to express my concerns about the removal of any lands from the Greenbelt Plan. As you know, the Greenbelt is a system made up of natural heritage features and areas, linkages intended to provide connectivity and improve ecological features in the future, protected countryside and urban river valleys. It contains some of Canada’s most ecologically and hydrologically significant natural environments and scenic landscapes, including the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment. These natural areas clean the air, provide drinking water, provide diverse flora and fauna habitats, including pollinators, and they provide opportunities for recreational activities that benefit public health and overall quality of life. While citing the need for housing, this proposal misses the critical piece of providing a good quality of life for Ontarians, not just a house. There are already enough lands for housing development allocated to meet the projected needs. What is needed is a sustainable future with natural lands to mitigate climate change (so houses don’t get destroyed by extreme weather) and provide recreational opportunities (for people living in those houses), and enough farmland to feed all the people who need a house. Taking lands out of the Greenbelt will not provide the future Ontarians need and deserve.

I fully support the submission by CELA regarding these changes. Specifically I request that the Greenbelt be expanded, not shrunk, to ensure the Greenbelt be protected and realize its original purpose. I ask that the province not remove the proposed 7,400 acres of land to protect the integrity of the Greenbelt.

Thank you.