I am strongly opposed to…

I am strongly opposed to Bill 23.

While I support the initiative to build more homes, including affordable homes, Bill 23 is clearly designed to facilitate development at the cost of our natural heritage.

Specifically, I am opposed to:

1. Proposed changes to the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES). Thes changes (particularly the removal of wetland complexes) are not supported by ecological theory, there is no transparency regarding the process leading to the changes and rationale and the removal of any provincial oversight or review and approval role is very troubling.

2. Proposed changes to the Conservation Authorities Act and removal of the ability for Conservation Authorities to review and contribute to natural heritage planning

3. Shift in focus from watershed or broader landscape scale assessments to local review only

4. Downloading all review responsibility to Municipalities. They are not equipped, do not typically have the required expertise and there is potential for bias (i.e., approving any development without regard to natural environment).

We have existing legislation that can be built upon to address housing issues and there are other ways to achieve 'streamlining' in the review process without gutting our existing legislation and balanced approach that has been developed over the last 30+ years.

Please consider a more balanced approach to the housing crisis, one that appropriately considers our rich natural heritage in Ontario.