Land development needs to…

Land development needs to remain within Cities, and prime agricultural land saved for agricultural production. Forests need to remain forests to capture carbon as they are the most low cost option, with no development of technology needed in order to do so. Wetlands and flood plains must remain unpaved so that excess storm water does not cost taxpayers and insurance companies millions in damages. Ecosystem services save huge investments into infrastructure that could only inefficiently mimic what nature is doing for free.

Policy needs to remain protective of our natural resources and fragile environment. Find some other way to dig Ontario out of financial debt, without putting us into further future crisis. A short term solution like this is completely ignorant of the net-neutral carbon emissions we need to be at, as per the IPCC's most recent report.

The fact is that we need large reforestation efforts in order to reach carbon neutral targets. Paving over protected areas is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what Ontario should be seeking to lead on here in Canada. Our beautiful Country will be worthless, our air polluted, and water poisoned if we don't protect places like the Greenbelt.

An argument for affordable housing will not suffice as wages have been frozen, minimum income cancelled, and the ones most in need of affordable housing are not the ones who will be helped; development of the greenbelt serves those who can already afford a home.