The first amendment that…

The first amendment that expresses major concerns is amendment 2.1, regarding the government’s long-term targets to reduce greenhouse emissions. I believe that the change of reducing greenhouse emissions 30% below 2005 levels, by 2030, instead of 37% below 1990 levels is not the right direction that the province is going in. This is because the time to fight climate change is right now. As global leaders in the fight against climate change, the province should continue to impose aggressive targets to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, instead of going in the opposite direction. This way, it is ensured that future generations can live to breathe cleaner air, and not be severely affected by climate change.

The second and final concern also sprouts from the amendments in reducing the population density targets that development on new greenfield sites must meet. This is concerning because, under the new proposed rules, the province will have population densities as low as those in the 1990s, a time long before the Growth Plan. This new proposed model is leading back to the sprawl model. Lower densities put more emphasis on commuting with a car, and more stress on the transit system. The direction that I believe the province should be moving in is focusing on building more compact, sustainable and livable communities that put more emphasis on the public transportation system. This will overall improve the sustainability and livability of our communities.

If the proposed changes go live, then the communities that we live in may change drastically. The air that we breathe in will become more polluted, potentially endangering the health and wellbeing of many individuals. There will also be more cars on the road, more traffic, greater pollution, fewer transit services, and sprawling low-density housing that is expanding into forests and farmland. This will eventually deteriorate the sustainability and livability of our communities. My request would be to please withdraw the proposed changes from amendment 2.1, and the plan to reduce the population density targets on new greenfield sites.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my requests/concerns in this letter.