Dear Ontario Environmental…

Dear Ontario Environmental Registry ,

I am writing to address a matter which does not get addressed in discussions about the Greenbelt .

For many years, lands have been designated as being in the Greenbelt. During this time, most citizens of Ontario see this as a win-win situation. As a strong believer in promoting the environment, I would agree that it is essential to have green spaces in Ontario.

However, the act of designating land for the Greenbelt is a lose-lose situation for people who are landowners of the lands designated. What most Ontarians don't realize is that the government has the authority to label one's private property as being in the Greenbelt and, by doing this, virtually rendering the property of little or no value, and of taking away the owner's rights over their own land.

For landowners, this is a most undemocratic and unfair process. Suddenly, the use and value of one's land is taken away. Basically, it becomes the property of the province. Yet, the owners must continue to pay taxes while adding benefit to the population of the province.

It is high time that the province address this most authoritarian and undemocratic practice. If landowners are to hold and care for their land for the benefit of the entire population, they should be paid for this "rental" or use of their property. Certainly, they should not be subject to any property taxes. Furthermore, they should get credit towards their income tax for the loss of value in their land.

In a "just society", the government would levy special taxes on their citizens to purchase the lands for a Greenbelt. The government would be responsible for caring for these lands that provide green space for the population.

This is an unlikely scenario as it benefits the province that the owners of the property take care of the land (doing this for free for the public good), that the owners suffer the devaluation of their property and basically have no say in how they use their own land.

I have never heard any justification by the government for this draconian abuse of power as it applies to Canadians' basic rights regarding their property.

I would like to know if there are any plans to address this unjust practice. I strongly believe that having a Greenbelt is a wonderful idea in theory, but in reality, it abuses basic rights of property owners.