These proposed changes are…

These proposed changes are highly discouraging. As a young Ontarian, I recognize the importance of building infrastructure and housing, but gutting environmental protections—which is what this proposal is aiming to do—is not the way to do it. One of the best parts of living in Ontario is how we developed our towns to incorporate natural features such as stormwater facilities, trails through forests, and proximity to the outdoors. These features are the result of strong environmental protection policies, not because developers wanted these feel-good spaces for Ontarians. These features would not be kept without current policies because developers won't care to save the local creek that runs through their parcel of land. Proposing a bill like this will allow development, sure, but will leave Ontarians feeling like they got swindled out of the Ontario they know and love.