I write as a former City of…

I write as a former City of Hamilton Councillor (11 years, including roles as a member of the Municipal Heritage Committee and Hamilton Conservation Authority Chair), and professional planner by training.

From my terms on Council sitting on Planning Committee, I know there are a number of ways to streamline the planning process, with next to no value-added from some of the review. While it is imperative that housing continue to be built in Ontario, it is equally critical to accept that the dual crises of climate change and loss of biodiversity mean that we must plan sustainably.

Wetland are key to this, storing water during increasingly frequent torrential downpours, releasing water during also frequent droughts (as I write the main river system in Hamilton, Spencer Creek is running dry due to lack of rain). Wetlands provide critical habitat for a variety of species throughout heir life cycles - and of course, we have already lost over 75% of wetlands in southern ON - we cannot afford to lose more. In this vein, Ontario's Conservation Authorities are renowned around the world with their watershed planning approach, invented in the months after Hurrican Hazel.

For climate change reasons,, municipalities need greener building code standards (as Toronto has demonstrated) - houses built today will be with us for 50+ years at a time when our communities are required to be net zero for greenhouse gas emissions. Site Plan control is necessary to ensure new intensification-style evelopment fits into the character of existing neighbourhoods, respecting cultural heritage.

Lastly, public consultation processes including the ability of neighbourhood groups and environmental groups to participate in planning appeals is a key part of our democracy in Ontario. Any efforts to narrow the public's involvement in the planning process should be resisted.

I urge you NOT to advance these changes, but instead look for planning process changes that would speed up the process of housing. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.