I am strongly opposed to…

I am strongly opposed to this legislation as it will cause us to lose much needed farmland - at a time when it is critical to have food produced in our own country, given the weather and climate related interruptions to food production and delivery in other countries. Many families in Canada are having difficulties getting and affording fresh produce. We must not put the richest agricultural land in Canada in jeopardy. We don't need less farmland, we need more.

Secondly, expanding housing into the Greenbelt areas will damage our waterways and the environment at a time we are facing a climate crisis. Research has shown that there is ample space within municipalities - such as Hamilton - to accommodate housing options that can meeting the needs of those of modest or low incomes. The type of housing you are proposing will not address affordability but will instead cater to the wealthier members of our community who are not experiencing difficulty getting housing.

Your legislation which would expanding housing into the Greenbelt which would expand beyond our municipal boundaries leading to higher taxes for residents in municipalities across Ontario as they will have to pay for the cost of expanding the infrastructure to support these new builds. Multi-year deferrals and reduction of payments which apply for certain types of development (including rental housing) will also lead municipalities scrambling to make up the income which will inevitably be passed on to tax paying residents. The Provincial government needs to step in and ensure that they provide municipalities with adequate funding to ensure that does not happen.

We don't need 7,400 acres of housing. We need infill, SDUs, mixed density developments, town homes, stacked townhouses, co-housing, co-living, housing designed to create community not more condos and single home dwellings and monster housing. All of this type of housing can be built within the urban boundaries established by many communities across the province. Arbitrarily eliminating these urban boundaries must stop.

Finally we must not reduce the role of Conservation Authorities across the province which protect our communities from building on flood plains and ensure our natural areas are protected. We are undermining one of the most respected systems in North America by doing so and putting members of our community at risk - now and in the future.