To whom this may concern, I…

To whom this may concern,

I am a gravely concerned resident of Ontario employed in the ecology and environmental consultant industry. Prior to reading further, please know that I am not anti-development, but I am deeply pro-responsible planning and development.

Doug Ford and his government's recent announcement of the 'More Homes Built Faster' completely ignores the regimented planning process at multiple levels. The Greenbelt lands were carefully selected not long ago in 2005, specifically to prevent further loss of farmland and natural heritage features crucially important to the ecosystems, wildlife (Species at Risk and common) and we, the residents of Ontario.

How is it possible to make a responsible provincial planning decision when applying it to 7,400 acres in one fell swoop? Only just 17 years ago, the province identified and evaluated these very lands as crucial to protect. How could they possibly be less relevant than they were then? With Toronto's population projected growth rate of 35.9 percent to 2046 and the four census divisions of the suburban GTA projected to add a total of almost 1.9 million people over this period, shouldn't these lands be looked at with an even greater degree of importance? As a consolation, this proposal seeks to add ‘new’ Greenbelt lands elsewhere, yet there is an acutely clear reason why the current lands designated as Greenbelt were chosen in the first place. You cannot simply swap A for B in this case. These are interconnected ecosystems (in most cases) that benefit from being ecologically connected to one another.

I am understanding of the need to create homes for our growing province, but how is accommodating urban sprawl through utilizing the Greenbelt lands the most advantageous way to do this? Urban intensification outside of the Greenbelt should be where we are focusing our efforts. Intensification calls for building upwards with condos which creates more accessible and affordable housing which is what this province desperately needs in the first place. With the recent news from CBC announcing that well-established developers are the current holders of the 15 parcels of land the Ford government is proposing to open up for housing, this decision from Ford and his government is hiding in plain site that Ford likes to help his buddies out. This isn’t about the average Ontarian having access to housing, this is about Ford lining his pockets greenlighting development in environmentally sensitive areas for his pals. If we were truly concerned about creating housing, why are we not changing Official Plans and Zoning of upper and lower tier municipalities in non-Greenbelt areas to demand intensification, both within the GTA and other cities like Innisfil within proximity to the core and accessible by public rail transportation?

We are at a pivotal moment with this decision on our doorsteps. If we open up these 7,400 acres of ‘protected’ land, what is stopping Ford or the next politician in power from slicing further Greenbelt lands from existence. The province has a duty to act on behalf of the people that live here, not just the handful of politicians and developers who want to see this go through. The opposition to this decision to develop a significant portion of the Greenbelt is palpable and the majority of Ontarians are screaming from their rooftops, do not do this. Do not allow this to happen. Encourage developments to intensify or sprawl outside of the Greenbelt if they must. There is plenty of land outside of the Greenbelt.

I hate to state the obvious, but these lands are incredibly precious and provide so much value to Ontarians through:
• Clean water: Protection of important wetlands/watersheds that act as natural aquifer recharge areas and filtration to surface waters which then flow to our groundwater supply.
• Climate resilience: Protection of floodplains and water retaining wetlands to reduce the threat of anthropogenic flooding posing a risk to human life.
• Biodiversity and Species at Risk habitat: With development already destroying our natural heritage features (woodlands/wetlands/grasslands) that support both SAR and common wildlife habitats, the Greenbelt should remain the one steadfast natural fixture within our province not under threat of clearing/development.
• Agricultural industry: Protected farmlands keeping farmers from being priced out by developers. This allows farmers to continue their agricultural practices and provide reliable food/resources to the province and exported materials.
• Places to escape: Trails and conservation areas have never proven to be more important than in the last 2.5 years of the pandemic. Ontarians need access to greenspace to escape and be active! Young or old, time spent outdoors is massively beneficial to both mental and physical health.

We have so much more land outside of the Greenbelt that can be developed, these lands in particular just happen to be the ones that Doug Ford’s pals own. Please defer in this moment to responsible provincial, regional and municipal planning. Rely on the processes we already have in place. This land was identified for protection for a reason only 17 years ago. If protected, this Greenbelt land will provide countless benefits to Ontarians (human and wildlife), for many years to come. Do not overlook it’s value. What message as a province are we sending to everyone watching right now if we let this first batch of Greenbelt lands be opened up for development? When can we expect to see the next batch be requested and also developed? It’s a slippery slope from here and Doug Ford himself campaigned on the fact that he would NOT develop the Greenbelt. Please hold him accountable. Please protect these lands and their benefits for current and future generations to come.

I am vehemently opposed to the ‘Build Homes Faster Act’ and the request to open ANY Greenbelt lands for development. I plead whoever is reading this to stop Doug Ford’s government in this reckless decision and keep the Greenbelt green, in perpetuity.