From your proposal outline:…

From your proposal outline:
Please get our priorities straight before taking on this life-changing plan in Ontario:
Economically important areas should be secondary to Provincially Significant natural lands at all times due to the effects of climate change. We depend on those natural lands to sustain human life -- jobs can adjust and change, clean air & water cannot improve easily if we degrade it. We will die without clean air & water but jobs we can find easily if Ontario steps up to transitioning to 'Green' energy sources more seriously. These economic areas should be labeled differently to reflect their secondary importance to our very basic needs, perhaps call them "Preferred Economic Areas" or something similar. Throughout Ontario's history, it is economic expansion and urban sprawl that have "encroached" on our more precious natural lands that sustain human life in the most important ways. Nothing is "encroaching" on urban development in Ontario because the opposite is always true. It is scary that our provincial authority has such a skewed perspective on what is truly important for our survival. Protect important natural areas first, then talk about how economic development should take place. We cannot continue to grow forever in order to generate revenue -- that is not sustainable, so we need to re-define our economic system. This kind of plan will definitely harm Ontario's future and all people living here. I had hoped our new provincial government would not be so short-sighted and this is extremely disappointing.

Secondly, all agricultural lands should be preserved to protect our food security in Ontario which is at risk because of the climate change phenomena which your government denies is happening -- this is incredibly foolish. No agricultural land should converted to anything but agricultural uses for growing food. Urban development has been seriously "encroaching" onto our agricultural lands for many years.

Thirdly, all wetland areas need preservation because our climate will become more wet in the future and we are experiencing increased flooding in many parts of Ontario, even more so very recently. Wetlands absorb more water than any other land type and they most effectively filter water to make it clean for our use as well. It is paramount that all wetlands of any size need full protection in Ontario. Urban development has caused serious damage to most of our provincial wetlands (draining and filling them) since development began in Ontario. There is little wetland area left from the original area of this land type in Ontario, and clearly not enough has been left as evidenced by all the flooding we experience today.

Fourthly, any type of Transit Zones should be included within your 'economic areas' definitely. Transit is related to expansion and if left separate, it would just encourage more urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is damaging our province irreparably already. We have to stop paving so much of our land base.

Lastly, I have specific comments about a few of your planned economic areas:
1) Area 7 - Markham at 404/407 area - all natural/ forest lands in this immediate area should be left intact . I was recently right in this area and witnessed wild Barred Owls living in a forested area not far from the 404 hwy. This is a very rare sighting in Southern Ontario and speaks to the rich nature that must still exists in pockets of natural lands with enough resources to support large wildlife species such as Barred Owls. Any area that can maintain this type of ecological diversity should not be developed but on the contrary, it should be seriously and fully protected. So, any natural conservation lands in this area should not be opened up to disturbing effects from any development type. These will be more sensitive lands.
2) Area 20 - Tremaine Rd./Britannia Rd. - There are important natural areas with high intrinsic and recreational value in this area. Be careful how you treat these lands. Scouts Canada has a large camping areas where Ontario's youth experience the outdoors nearby too. This area should not be degraded further by urban development or any development that would damage the ecosystems here.
3) Area 21 - Guelph South - Warning that Hwy. #6 is already over-congested all the way from Guelph to Hamilton already. Adding more traffic pressures on this highway would spell certain disaster for commuters, cottagers, the already heavy truck traffic, tourism in the north, etc. I.e. The large traffic jam last summer caused by a sunflower farmer near Hwy. #6, the whole highway was plugged up for kilometers and the police had to intervene. That was just one small tourist event, so be careful.
4) Hamilton Portlands - Although developed intensely in places, this is also a very important area for recreational activities, tourism on the beachfront, a designated important bird area (IBA) where research is done annually on shorebirds all along the Lakefront. Windemere Basin, the Red Hill Storm Pond and other places are regional "hotspots" for very rare bird wildlife in Hamilton. Joggers, cyclists, birdwatchers, tourists, fishermen, sunbathers, dog walkers, and other exercisers and those looking for R&R go to the lake front in Hamilton for enjoyment. It would be a definite mistake to development this ecologically sensitive area any further. There are still quite a number of small beachfront homes in this area as well whose residents would be very negatively impacted.
5) Area 26 - Hamilton (Central) - Stonechurch Rd./Dartnall Rd./Rymal Rd./Upper Ottawa St. - There is a large natural area near the escarpment where the Lincoln Alexander Expressway connects to Stone Church Rd. That natural land needs to be preserved to protect residents from flooding in the area. They have experienced some of the worst flooding in Hamilton below the escarpment in recent years, and this is one of the water retention areas that helps to limit flood damage. The natural areas along the edge of the escarpment should not be disturbed in order to protect residents and preserve the ecosystem that is left. The Red Hill Valley Expressway required removing an enormous number of mature trees already and with higher precipitation amounts recently, the escarpment has become increasingly less stable along its cliff edges in Hamilton. Natural areas above the escarpment that retain moisture should remain in tact for public safety purposes.
6) Area 27 - Hamilton Airport - This airport was expanded and built in an area where thousands of residents have already been impacted very negatively. Airplane day & night noise, drinking-water well contamination, a large negative impact on farmlands and animals have already been serious issues in this area of Hamilton. In addition, the traffic congestion on Highway 6 (towards Caledonia to the west this time) is horrendous during rush hour and sometimes Upper James is like a parking lot. Adding more traffic to this area would be a huge problem for anyone travelling in the area (many commuters, an already large amount of truck traffic, tourists, residents, farm traffic, school traffic, etc.).

I do hope these crucial issues are considered seriously before any changes are made in Ontario. I hope your proposal is not yet another attempt to develop lands that are important to protect. Our provincial government has a very insulting track record of dishonesty so far. I hope to see a great effort in improving this plan to protect what is truly valuable to our survival in Ontario before paving over important areas. Please be thoughtful and considerate of the natural resources that our society is 'built upon' already! We need to protect natural wetlands, forests, grasslands and all existing farmland. Urban development should be minimized in spread and concentrated more in existing urban areas.

Thank you,
Lyn Hanna-Folkes, Master of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo
I have not provided any references due to the short notice I received on this issue.