Dear Mr. Premier and those…

Dear Mr. Premier and those it may concern,

I implore you to think critically about the choice to develop Greenbelt lands as it could result in the permanent loss of irreplaceable and priceless habitats on which Ontario’s already struggling threatened species rely. I will begin by noting that hold an MSc in conservation ecology and have years of experience working in that field. Therefore, I possess the credentials to provide useful advice on changes to the Greenbelt Plan. My suggestions are three-fold and are as follows:

1. One habitat type is NOT equal to another. The proposal indicates that there will be no net loss in the total land area of the Greenbelt. Further, it indicates that portions of the Paris Galt Moraine will be added to the Greenbelt to make up for lands lost to development. If this plan is approved, it is extremely important that the specific habitat types that are to be destroyed are identified and habitats of the exact same type and size be identified in the “replacement” Greenbelt lands to ensure no net loss of any single habitat type currently in the green belt. If a certain habitat type is identified in the proposed development lands that is NOT found in the replacement lands, development CANNOT occur there, as it would result in net loss of essential habitat type.

2. Certain habitats cannot be replaced. Some habitat types (such as bogs, fens, swamps, etc.) are biodiversity hotspots that support a multitude of Ontario’s species as well as provide essential ecosystem services such as water filtration and carbon storage. These habitats (especially wetlands) form over hundreds of thousands of years and cannot be replaced by any human replacement efforts. I implore that all Greenbelt lands that are proposed to be developed be carefully surveyed and their habitats’ identified. Further, these arguably irreplaceable and priceless habitats must NOT be developed and should be prioritized for use by wildlife over home construction.

3. Build-up and NOT out wherever possible. My final point provides a useful and reasonable alternative development type. While every square inch of out planet is replied upon by humans and animals alike, the skies are open! Rather than building cookie cutter suburban neighborhoods of single family homes that require acres upon acres of natural space to be paved over, I implore the Ontario government to prioritize building high-rise apartment buildings instead. Buildings with 20 – 100 floors of 1-3 bedroom apartments would significantly reduce the amount of Greenbelt land required to be destroyed while also allowing people to live closer to city centers, which is preferred for economic opportunity and saving on commute costs. Additionally, as apartments are generally more affordable than detached single family homes, high-rise apartment buildings would contribute to and increase supply of more affordable housing in the free-market. This would allow more home ownership and stability for Ontarians. To put a number on it, for every 10 single family homes built, I implore the Ontario government to build at least 1 high-rise building with at least 5 single family condominium units until the proposed 1.5 million new homes goal is reached.

Please please, take the above three points into careful consideration into the final policy changes regarding the Greenbelt development plan. If these suggestions are incorporated into the plan they will greatly balance the benefits to Ontarians and the wildlife we love and cherish.