I am writing to you because…

I am writing to you because I am deeply opposed to Bill 23 and the associated policy changes that have been proposed to address the housing crisis in Ontario. Ontario’s own Housing Affordability Task Force said that a shortage of land is not the problem in creating affordable housing in Ontario. We have land within city boundaries and on undeveloped land that is not already protected. Bill 23 ignores this, and in doing so, will benefit developers and not those who truly need affordable, accessible housing.

I am also extremely concerned that these proposed policy changes remove frameworks that have been put in place to protect Ontario’s natural heritage. Not only do Ontario’s natural heritage features make it the beautiful place it is to live, but they are crucial for providing ecosystem services and mitigating the effects of climate change. Without them, no one in Ontario has a place to live. Conservation Authorities (CA’s) in Ontario are a world class structure for watershed level planning and environmental protection. As an environmental professional, I know that CA’s are composed of experts in their fields, and are critical for providing advice to municipalities and ensuring environmental protection throughout the process of development. Partnerships between CA’s and local municipalities and the permits that CA’s issue are environmental safeguards, and not simply ‘red tape’. They provide oversight and ensure consistency across watersheds, increasing efficiencies within the planning process. Similarly, high level municipalities within the Golden Horseshoe are critical for overseeing development planning. The removal of these groups from the process of development would create redundancies, create a piecemeal approach to land use planning, and increase costs.

I am strongly disappointed in the government's decision to pass this bill. It seems to be nothing more than an uninformed attempt at a quick solution, which will end up leading to long-term problems that will have no such solutions. It would be greatly appreciated if you could rethink this bill.