I am a student, and I am…

I am a student, and I am writing this comment to discuss my concerns about a specific amendment that I believe should be removed. I fear that if the government decides to follow-through with their current plan, it will cause problems for later generations. The issue that I wish to talk about, is the amendment that “deletes a clean and healthy environment” and replaces it with an approach that “puts people first”. I understand that the population is growing, and we are preparing for this in advance – since it is ultimately inevitable – but, I believe that we should not disregard, or push the environment to the side. It is important to take the environment into account when making decisions that can affect the future – since we cannot live without it.

Something I would like to bring up, is the plan to build more houses that are spread out within the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. Houses that are distanced from each other will not be as helpful It would be easier to have homes that are closer to each other not only for transportation, but it would also be better for the community. As important as it is to be comfortable where you live, it is also important to be part of a community, and nowadays it is encouraged for the youth to participate in extracurricular activities and volunteer for the community outside of school, building the skills necessary to succeed later in life. I believe that keeping neighborhoods close will bring people together, and it will create that positive community we yearn for. With transportation, having homes closer to areas such as schools and recreation centers makes things much simpler for individuals who use services such as the public transit, or those who walk often. This also applies for those who drive to work, school, or any other place. Instead of driving great distances, and leaving home early to beat the traffic, it would save the headache if we keep areas close together.

An issue that I personally find especially important, is the environment. It is very easy to look at the environment, and see all these protected areas and greenery that we have. However, sustaining it is a bigger challenge. If the government continuously ignores it, we might lose this land that is a goldmine – in more ways than one. If we take the Greenbelt, for example, we notice that the farms within this land generate more in wealth, and health, than any of the farms outside of this area. It is more efficient to export produced food from these farms rather than having to import items from other countries. In relation to this, the Greenbelt creates multiple job opportunities, which is always a good thing - if we take the issue of unemployment into account.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the project to “put people first” is not entirely necessary. I believe that a balance is needed between the environment and humans. As I stated earlier, we cannot live without resources from the environment. Without the grass, and the soil, we would not be able to farm. Without the trees, we would not be able to breathe. Without freshwater, we would not be able to survive. All these things are essential for life. If we continue to make it seem as though it is not important, we may reach a time where finding a solution and replacement is nearly impossible. I respect that the decision is in your hands, and I sincerely hope that the right decisions are made – decisions that will bring us to a better and brighter future for Ontario and Canada as a whole.

Thank you for reading my comment on the concerns I have about the plans for the future of our country.