My feedback on Doug Ford's…

My feedback on Doug Ford's attack on the Greenbelt is as follows:

--On the surface, this omnibus Bill 23 appears to address Ontario's housing crisis by removing hindrances to development.

--In reality, Bill 23 significantly limits the role of Ontario's conservation authorities, municipal governments, and the public in reviewing and approving new developments that risk negative impacts to habitat, biodiversity, farmland and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

--Of course Ontario faces a serious shortage of new housing! But a report by the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force, an expert government panel, concluded in February that "a shortage of land isn't the cause of the problem." Building new housing does not require carving out chunks of the Greenbelt. It is well known that increasing density closer to urban areas is a) more environmentally sustainable and b) will create affordable housing where it is needed, where the immigrants needed for our work force settle, and where lengthy expensive and carbon-emitting commutes are not required.

--Conservation authorities and environmental protections are not barriers to growth but balance development pressure with protections of Ontario's watersheds and natural heritage. Bill 23 proposes capping funding to conservation authorities, opening up all conservation authority lands for development, and limiting the scope of feedback provided by conservation authorities to flooding and natural hazard mitigation.

--Expert reviews of Bill 23 suggest that the proposed changes will result in environmental disasters, leading to fast-tracked developments in areas at risk of severe flooding. This will ultimately result in a high cost for municipal governments and taxpayers left to cover expensive maintenance associated with sprawling development as well as future disaster mitigation.

--It is already public knowledge that at least four developers who bought the properties--one in this past September--that the Ford government wants to remove from the Greenbelt have donated generously to the PC Party since 2018. This will not be forgotten.

--The Ontario government is already failing to fulfil its obligations to reduce carbon emissions, curb plastic pollution, and conserve species at risk of extinction in Ontario. WE CALL ON THE GOVERNMENT TO NOT FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT IN THE GREENBELT, TO PRESERVE THE ABILITY OF ONTARIO'S CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES TO REGULATE DEVELOPMENT MATTERS CONCERNING LAND CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, AND TO ALLOW MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT GREEN STANDARDS IN NEW SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.