We should not be converting…

We should not be converting the Greenbelt to make housing. I do not support any removal of Greenbelt land for development, including housing. Urban sprawl is not the way forward to adding homes in Ontario. We need to add density and services to support that density in our cities. Municipal and provincial governments should work together to enact policies that encourage densification, and protection of green spaces, conservation and farming land.

We have more than enough land available to build dense housing. We don't need anymore suburbs or sprawling cities; we need more intense developments. We need 3 to 6 story buildings in new developments, and more intense buildings in downtowns of cities like Windsor, London, Hamilton, Kingston.

If we have more starter apartments and condos they will quickly halt the rising rental costs of existing units and make living more affordable for Ontarians.

It will also create space for people moving into Ontario and our youth to get their own living space; keeping our educated youth in the province is key to our future.

Municipal plans show that there are approximately 88,000 acres of land within urban boundaries across the region already approved for housing — enough to meet Ontario’s provincial growth projections for decades to come. Developers hold this land and some municipalites don't allow for dense buildings in low density neighbourhoods. We need to incentivize developers to start developing the current land in a more dense fashion and over-rule municipalities on these outdated zoning laws allowing for more dense infill projects.

We need more 4 to 6 storey condos & apartments in low density zones. We need more high density apartments and condo's being built in cores and infill lots.

Building dense apartments/condos within our existing cities will save us all money, while also revitalizing the local economy and community design. Sewers, water pipes, roads and schools are all cheaper to build and maintain when more people live in a neighbourhood. Public transit that is frequent and close-by becomes possible and people can choose to walk to a store, restaurant or work instead of having to rely on a car.

This is a better option than opening up the Greenbelt to development and I urge you to consider it.

Ontario needs her green spaces of the green belt for future generations and we need our farmland to support our population. Please stop sprawl development.