Comment
I am all in favour of increasing the size of the Greenbelt to protect wetlands, watersheds and Class 1 farmland.
The proposal to build Highway 413 will actually reduce the size of the existing Greenbelt.
Highway 413 would degrade the parts of the Credit River and Humber River watersheds that flow into Lake Ontario – a source of drinking water for millions of GTA residents.
Highway 413 would be 50 km long and would pave over 2,000 acres of Class 1 and Class 2 farmland – among Ontario’s most productive farmland.
Therefore, I am not in favour of investing billions of dollars to build Highway 413 -- because the highway will affect environmentally important lands currently within the existing Greenbelt. The majority of municipalities that border along the proposed route of Hwy 413 have voted against its construction, including Vaughan and Halton.
In an editorial on Feb. 16, 2021, The Globe and Mail wrote:
"Ontario’s proposed Highway 413 is a $6-billion sprawl accelerator. Highway 413 won’t accomplish what it’s billed to do: make cars move faster. It will only encourage the GTA’s swollen sprawl. The estimated time savings for drivers is 30 seconds. A new 50-kilometre highway – and half a minute shaved off a driver’s time behind the wheel."
Submitted March 6, 2021 5:19 PM
Comment on
Consultation on growing the size of the Greenbelt
ERO number
019-3136
Comment ID
51854
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