I oppose plans to remove…

I oppose plans to remove lands from the Greenbelt. Premier Ford promised his government wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt and when people are demanding protection of the environment during a climate crisis this seems to counter. Additionally, a report prepared by government-hired consultants said Greenbelt land was not needed to build needed housing. Building on unserviced Greenbelt land will not solve the unaffordable housing problem. The only type of house will be for those in higher incomes, on beautiful green land.

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.
The Niagara Escarpment is a biosphere reserve and represents the largest contiguous stretch of primarily forested land in south-central Ontario. It must remain.
Altogether the government should be protecting the existing Greenbelt and adding to it, not deleting from it.
Also, the loss of farmland will increase food insecurity, lose green infrastructure benefits, impact endangered species, cost to future generations. It will also increase traffic congestion in the Greater Golden Horseshoe if we do not create more compact complete communities serviced by many types of transit, loss of faith in government. This is already an issue for Niagara - where GO train doesn't come regularly - and if it does the Premier focuses on bringing Torontians here rather than for residents of Niagara.