We should not be opening the…

We should not be opening the Greenbelt up to development. It is an important economic engine to our province and we would all be worse off if it was developed.

Agriculture in the Greater Golden Horseshoe employs 38,000 people and gross output of farms is $11 billion, that’s $1.7 billion in tax revenue for all three levels of government. The Greenbelt provides $3.2B annually in services to the region, such as recreational activities and flood protection. It was created in 2005 to deliberately limit the rapid urban sprawl that was encroaching on land that is both environmentally and economically significant.

The Greenbelt has the capacity to store as much carbon dioxide as would be emitted by 33 million cars a year. Interfering with that crucial ecosystem means missing out on a chance to reduce our emissions and meet climate targets.

Greenbelt development is unnecessary for economic development. A recent Neptis Foundation study found more than 125,000 hectares of land in the GTA is currently available to accommodate growth through to 2031 and beyond. If the province wants to allow a new business in Ontario they already have a tool for that, The Minister’s zoning order, they don’t need to allow municipalities to bypass environmental and health rules meant to protect us.