Opening up the Greenbelt for…

Opening up the Greenbelt for development will have colossal and detrimental consequences for Ontario.

Building new homes on protected lands should not be the response to the housing crisis. Better consultation with Urban Planners should be the first step. Densification of existing urban areas should be considered. These spaces already have better access to social resources and in many cases, like Hamilton, the vacant infrastructure exists. Building new homes in previously unoccupied lands would be costly for tax payers as it is known that stretching municipal infrastructure into new developments in an expensive undertaking. Additionally, what will be the cost of these homes? Will they be accessible to middle and lower class? Will all future occupants need a car to access life necessities? Plain and simple, it’s poor planning that doesn’t serve the public.

Outside of the current housing crisis, this is will be tragic for previously protected green belt lands. So much of Ontario’s farmland resides within the Greenbelt. This will not only hurt the farming economy but in an era of greater food insecurity seems like a huge risk.

Additionally, taking away agency from Conservation authorities will certainly lead to irreparable damage to our natural landscapes. A more holistic approach must be taken where the environment is under equal consideration when considering future development, especially with climate events worsening every year.