The proposed amendments to…

The proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation are an egregious, short-sighted travesty:
- of our democratic processes (the Premier promised the area would not be touched - and likely garnered some voting support from this promise);
- of Ontario's environmental protection initiatives (why was the Greenbelt created in the first place?);
- of Ontario's climate change initiatives (we need to preserve green spaces to help offset our carbon emissions); and
- of current knowledge and best practices in urban planning (spread up, not out, when looking to accommodate increasing urban populations), not to mention that the Ontario Housing Commission states that there is sufficient land available without touching the Greenbelt). Sadly it is becoming very apparent that sound urban planning principles are NOT what is guiding the Ford government in their decision regarding the diminishing of the Greenbelt. The following is an excellent summary of modern urban planning principles and should be read and embraced by the Ontario government: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/next-generation-cities-best-practices-su….

I am sickened by the disrespect being shown, via this proposed amendment, to the land, the air, the flora, and the fauna (including the people who have the honour to call Ontario home), and to all the hard work of previous governments to establish the protected Greenbelt space.

There is no need to remove land from the Greenbelt. Premier Ford and his government must not proceed with this amendment. If this amendment goes through the history books will recognize that the Ford government CONTRIBUTED to climate change by facilitating urban sprawl, leading the to increased use of fossil fuels for transportation, and by reducing the protective band of land in southern Ontario. At this point in our province's history, we should be INCREASING the Greenbelt, not reducing it!

It is urgent, for the well-being of the climate and future generations of Ontarians, that the Greenbelt be preserved, and ideally, increased. This nonsensical, short-sighted, inappropriate and unnecessary amendment must be stopped in its tracks!