As is the case for many…

As is the case for many Ontarians, I am very concerned about this proposal and the effects it may have on our environment. First of all, restoring Ontario's competitiveness, if that's really the goal, is about a lot more than just environmental protection "hurdles", and in any case, the kind of developers that would be attracted to the prospect of flouting all sorts of ecological protection regulations are not the developers we really want to attract. Second, how much will this really contribute to economic growth? 100 new jobs in a municipality of hundreds of thousands of people (the proposal is very vague about the type of job covered by this bylaw) is not economically significant to the point where it is worth risking significant environmental damage.

Polling has shown that around 90% of Ontarians support the Greenbelt Act, and I am sure that many are also in favour of drinking water protections, especially after the Walkerton tragedy. We have this legislation for a reason.

Furthermore, the idea that any development covered under this bylaw is not subject to public consultation or appeal is a direct attack on Ontarians' democratic rights, and sets a dangerous precedent for the future - if we can make environmental protection effectively void, what else can we get rid of in the name of "economic development"?