I think it would be…

I think it would be extremely foolish for the government to amend the greenbelt plan or scale back the greenbelt in any way.

The green belt is heavily used by citizens. In the summer time, if I don't get to my local section by 10am on weekends, I am not getting a parking spot. There are regularly traffic jams around the most popular conservation areas throughout the summer. People in the GTA have very little access to secluded park space and the green belt is often the only wilderness most Torontonians can experience regularly. Access to green space is vital for both mental and physical health.

The greenbelt is an important thoroughfare for local wildlife. The greenbelt near me is home to a myriad of indigenous species that can only exist in southern ontario's temperate climate. We have a duty to protect these species instead of stealing the very little habitat they have left.

The greenbelt is extremely important for proper drainage of our communities and to maintain the integrity of our watershed. It is also vital to maintain cooling in our community and limit electrical usage. Escaping to a greenspace on a hot summer day is often the only relief I get from my concrete neighbourhood. Toronto is only going to get hotter, we are already trying to find solutions to an impending energy shortage in Ontario, and increasing energy usage in the summertime is only going to put strain on the grid. it is extremely foolsih and shirtsighted.

Sprawl is a massive contributor to pollution, degradation of our communities and poor quality of life for Toronto residents. Nobody wants to commute an hour and a half in bumper to bumper traffic just to afford to live here. Personally, driving in the GTA is the single biggest drain on my wellbeing since moving here. Opening the greenbelt to development will inhibit visionary solutions to increase functional density in our communities. We can fit far more homes into the GTA than we currently do if we end zoning used exclusively for single family homes, while still preserving adequate greenspace for all citizens. I applaud the efforts the conservative government has taken so far to force this issue but more needs to be done to increase density and help limit commute times for residents.

Thank you for your time, I hope these comments will be taken seriously.