Because this bill breaks a…

Because this bill breaks a fundamental and public promise that Ford made to leave the Greenbelt intact, there should be an election before the Greenbelt is opened to development so that Ontarians can have their say.

The fact that developers with ties to the Ontario PCs purchased Greenbelt land that is now slated for development after Ford was elected looks suspicious. Removing land from the Greenbelt needs to be put on hold while an investigation into insider information and corruption is conducted.

There is no need to open the Greenbelt to development, according to the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force of February 2022 report which states, " a shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem. Land is available, both inside the existing built-up areas and on undeveloped land outside greenbelts." Further, the type of housing that is planned for these areas will not address the housing shortage because the plan is to build high end, expensive homes far away from transit and services.

Bill 23 removes vital farmland from the Greenbelt, exposing Ontario to food insecurity. It also removes sensitive environmental land, removing habitat and exposing existing structures to flooding as headwaters and watercourses are damaged by development. Bill 23 undermines to ability of Conservation Authorities to protect waterways and sensitive areas and to prevent floods. We need Conservation Authorities to ensure that we live safely near waterways and avoid flooding.

Bill 23 passes the cost of development to citizens and allows developers to make even higher profits. In Markham where I live, the City estimates that property taxes could increase by 80% if we paid for the increases by property taxes alone. But even if we don't cover it all with taxes, it will result in reduced services and infrastructure for our city.

Bill 23 sets a dangerous precedent -- if developers are allowed to develop a part of the Greenbelt, it opens the way for other developers to challenge the protection of other Greenbelt land.

It doesn't matter if more land is added. A major part of the idea of a Greenbelt is that it provides continuous green space for waterways and animals to move naturally through an area. Developing parts of this reduces the effectiveness of the entire Greenbelt.

I am opposed to the proposal to open the Greenbelt to development for all of these reasons. This bill, even though it is now passed, must be shelved and a new plan developed that respects the Greenbelt, benefits the people of Ontario instead of a small group of donors to the PC party, and preserves the environmental protections that we need for our province.