The Greenbelt Plan was…

The Greenbelt Plan was established in 2005 to protect precious farmland, conserve natural sites, and restrict urban sprawl.

Greenbelt land is essential to: preserve healthy forests to clean the air; maintain functioning wetlands that filter water, protect our lakes and provide natural flood control; and safeguard habitats for wildlife species and populations.

Climate concerns are a top priority worldwide. Therefore, it is ludicrous that our provincial government is proposing changes that will destroy important Greenbelt land. Now, it is more important than ever to protect the Greenbelt.

People expect government to make decisions in the best interests of the public and our communities. We expect our government to improve strategies to conserve and protect lands for now and the future.

Unfortunately, the current provincial government has a different focus. That focus is on wealthy Developers, who have contributed significantly to the governing Conservative party. Developers that also purchased Greenbelt land since the Premier’s 2018 election, with the expectation that our Premier would green light rapid approval to "build more homes faster".

In fact, that’s exactly what our Premier did, with lighting speed! On October 25, 2022, BILL 23, the “More Homes Built Faster Act” was introduced and it was passed by the Ontario legislature on November 28, 2022.

Regrettably, there has been no real opportunity for interested parties to weigh in on this matter, other than, of course, those with vested interests, possibly behind closed doors??

The fact that Bill 23 was passed BEFORE this ERO public comment period makes a mockery of the process.

Bill 23 will certainly have a negative impact on the Greenbelt.

Regrettably, municipal leaders, organizations and members of the public have resorted to expressing valid concerns about Bill 23 using any means possible, after it was rushed into law by the current provincial government.

Important voices and insight from experts in Ontario have been left out of the process. Why?

In fact, the province’s own experts have been ignored. Experts from the province’s Housing Task Force affirmed that enough land is available to address Ontario’s housing needs without using Greenbelt land.

The current provincial government has also fast-tracked the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413, which will also damage the Greenbelt.

Again, the province’s own experts recommended six other higher-priority highways, previously approved by the Treasury Board.

It seems obvious that the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 were favoured by our Premier to meet the needs of the Developer's construction plans for the Greenbelt, instead of on the best financial, environmental and transportation solutions for all of Ontario.

It is a crime to see the current provincial government making plans to destroy the Greenbelt and to fast-track Bill 23, the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 in order to benefit wealthy landowners.

It is deceitful for our Premier to suggest that it is necessary to build on the Greenbelt in order to resolve housing needs in Ontario. That is simply not true!

Evidence is readily available to prove that Ontario can provide safe, affordable housing without creating urban sprawl, and that it is possible to do this while preserving and protecting the important Greenbelt for now and for future generations.

With determination Ontario residents, municipal and provincial leaders and organizations will continue to join together to bring the current provincial government back to reality and demand protection of our natural resources and good governance for the people of Ontario.