I am opposed to the…

I am opposed to the provincial government's proposal to remove 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt (ERO #019-6216 and #019-6217).

In 2004 and 2005, I worked for the Ontario Smart Growth Network. We invested countless hours to help write the Greenbelt Act. Though we never agreed with allowing highway and other intrusive infrastructure to be built on these lands, the government of the day did protect the most important green space and prime agricultural land. Municipalities have continued working within this framework.

I therefore do not accept your government’s misleading premise that these Greenbelt lands are needed for housing. The Minister's recent message to young Ontarians that the government is "working hard to help (them) find a home (they) can afford" is simple minded. Young folks certainly do not want to have their homes built on previously protected land as they know how important it is. They join a huge range of experts in knowing that the amount of greenfield land already designated for development, and added to municipal settlement boundaries, but still sitting unbuilt far exceeds what is needed to meet long range housing targets. As you know, in its 2022 report, Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force stated that a shortage of land isn’t the cause of Ontario’s housing problem and that Greenbelts, environmentally sensitive areas and farmland must be protected.

The proposed removal of Greenbelt lands sets an alarming precedent, opening the Greenbelt to development at the request of those who stand to reap immense profits while the rest of us pay the tab. Land swaps put the entire Greenbelt at risk. Most of the lands to be removed from the Greenbelt overlap with the Natural Heritage System, which supports sensitive and significant natural features, and is supposed to be managed by your ministry as a connected and integrated natural heritage system.

The importance of permanently protecting lands and waters within the Greenbelt cannot be overstated. It is key to building the resilience of local food systems, protecting at-risk habitats and species, and sustaining the physical, social and economic health of the nine million Ontarians living in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Not only are we facing the interconnected and accelerating crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, we are also losing 319 acres of farmland daily. The protection of natural and hydrological systems and farmland must be prioritized. They are finite, irreplaceable and invaluable for community and ecosystem health and resilience.

The fact that you have recklessly passed this backwards legislation without consulting First Nations -- a necessity under the EA Act -- is a slap in the face. Meanwhile, municipalities will lose billions in development charges that are required for hard and green infrastructure that all communities expect. Current home owners should not face a massive increase in property taxes to "pay for growth".

For the sake of current and future generations, I demand that you abandon your plans to remove 7,400 acres of protected lands from the Greenbelt.