I am deeply concerned about…

I am deeply concerned about many of the components of Bill 23 and its associated policy proposals.

Bill 23 prohibits Conservation Authorities from doing anything to prevent sprawl from causing flooding and erosion – or destroying ecology. It would leave vast swathes of Ontario’s most important habitats largely unprotected – and put Ontarians at real risk.

Proposed policy to allow “pay to slay” destruction of currently protected wetlands and woodlands, and changes to the rules that are used to identify wetlands, will cause the majority of these rare and ecologically crucial areas to be opened to development.

This Bill’s attack on regional planning is counterproductive for creating affordable homes – as well as being environmentally disastrous. Devolving planning decisions to lower-tier municipalities would produce development that is more scattered and thus much more environmentally harmful, but also more uncoordinated and expensive.

The draft bill also attacks Green Buildings. This bill will take the authority to require green buildings from municipalities – undoing many municipal Green Building standards that have already been developed – and undermine the affordability benefits that energy-efficient, climate-resilient buildings provide to owners and tenants.

Unless the major flaws in Bill 23 are addressed it will further the destruction of critical natural areas in a time of climate crisis while also failing to deliver the urban transformation – or the affordable housing – that Ontario needs.