My name is Anna and I am a…

My name is Anna and I am a lifetime resident of Ontario. I am very concerned about the implications of Bill 23. I grew up in Brampton and have seen the types of communities that result from urban and suburban sprawl.

I'm concerned about the removal of good topsoil, the removal of trees that help regulate our nutrient and water cycles, and the changes in grading that will go by unreviewed on projects under this bill. I am also concerned about the load that this type of growth will put on our already taxed roadways and waterworks, and suspect that this will be used as justification for further carving up our fragile and important ecosystems such as the escarpment and the holland marsh. I'm concerned about environmental degradation due to urban sprawl and disappointed that such a bill has been passed under the guise of 'creating more affordable housing' when I, who live under the strain of housing insecurity, don't see anything in this bill that will actually help people who are in my situation or worse.

I believe that there are plenty of opportunities for zoning amendments, infill development, and certain restrictions on foreign investment in housing that would create far more homes where they are needed, close to the communities where people live and work, rather than carving up our much-needed greenspace for communities where people are going to have to commute to work, school, and other places anyway.

This is not smart growth. It is an insult to decades of planning and protection that have come before, and it makes me even more fearful and wary of the situation that future generations are going to encounter.

Please amend Bill 23 to preserve ecological justice and prudent planning in Ontario.

Best regards,
Anna