I oppose the removal of any…

I oppose the removal of any lands from the Greenbelt, especially those identified in Niagara Region (Grimsby), abutting Lake Ontario (502 Winston Rd - recently purchased by developer J Paikin and New Horizon Development Group) and the Main Street West lands abutting the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve (and designated a culturally significant landscape - and an important historical indigeneous transportation route).

· Premier Ford promised his government wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt - it seems now it's okay at a certain price?

· A report prepared by government-hired consultants said Greenbelt land was not needed to build needed housing

The Niagara Region specifically indicated in their Aug 26, 2021 Land Needs Assessment (LNA) study and MCR supporting the Regional Official Plan (just approved by the Province) that NO ADDITIONAL LANDS were needed, specifically 502 Winston, in their reports. They strongly passed resolutions TO NOT INCLUDE any settlement area boundary (SAB) expansion in Grimsby as the LNA identified all growth to 2051 would be met within the SAB.

https://www.niagararegion.ca/official-plan/revised-land-needs.aspx

· Building on unserviced Greenbelt land will not solve the unaffordable housing problem.

· Greenbelt land was designated after significant scientific studies and extensive public consultation and cannot just be whittled away without significant justification and extensive public consultation.

· Adding already protected river valleys to the plan cannot be used to justify removals.

· Neither can adding land in the Paris Galt Moraine, especially when no justification has been given for why these lands were chosen.

· Altogether the government should be protecting the existing Greenbelt and adding to it, not deleting from it.