I am a student at Central…

I am a student at Central Peel S.S. here in Brampton. In regards to the Proposed Amendment 1 to the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Growth Plan, several concerns have arose in terms of how said changes would affect the sustainability of the community now, and when I am in the workforce. Amendment 1.2 of the proposed changes states that we’ll be trying to put in a higher quantity of housing by reducing the quality and sustainability of our communities. Due to the substantial surge in the cost of housing, it’s clear that we need more, however balance must be maintained.

Here where I live, the population is growing but the only reason this city is favorable is because the mix of housing and infrastructure is properly balanced. Simply increasing housing doesn’t make a city more sustainable, the community has to grow with it. What happens when you buy your new house and the drive to the nearest Costco is 2 hours? How are all students going to afford the $2000/year pricing of private bussing to existing schools? Commute to work? Moreover, when new areas do reach maturity, it will be apparent that there’s not enough housing due to the massive detached houses and no buildings. Thus, starting the cycle over again for the need of more housing. More housing doesn’t mean sustainable living. Instead, let’s modify this amendment by putting a focus on housing that grows with the city and with other urban infrastructure.

In today’s world, we’ve seen how shortsightedness affects society as a whole. When mortgage went crazy in 2007 due to short sighted greed, everyone had to suffer in 2008 when the consequences caught up. I see a Brampton where anyone can do anything due to how much opportunity we have. This is the only reason we have an influx of population and it’s important we maintain this for ourselves and for our future. Please decide with a great vision of my city and Ontario in mind.