Ontario absolutely does not…

Ontario absolutely does not need to build into the Greenbelt around the GTA.

Firstly, it is imperative that southern Ontario maintain that space for farmland. As our population continues to expand, we will need the option to increase food production to meet demand. Moreover, as the temperature of the Earth increases, Ontario will become a more desirable area to grow food, with a longer growing season. From an agri-business perspective, Ontario limits future profitability in an expanding sector that serves an expanding population. Paving over the Greenbelt would forever damage its ability to serve as farmland.

Secondly, it’s important at this point in time to create the infrastructure to support our increasing population. Building higher density structures within current city limits (and it is currently more than possible to do so) will force civic designers to think about public transportation, and shopping and building actual communities of worth, instead of isolated, and unsupported surveys in the middle of nowhere off an exit ramp. Long commutes between these isolated communities and city hubs robs Ontarians of time they would rather spend with family. Ontario needs actual communities and high speed rail if we ever hope to reduce commute times.

Finally, expanding into the Greenbelt could have disasterous environmental effects. Beyond damaging local ecosystems, we must think of the impact that paving over watersheds. Without careful consultation with conservationists, careless construction could mean areas of southern Ontario get flooded, causing millions in home and building damage.

For these reasons, I don’t believe that expansion into the Greenbelt would be advantageous at this time.

What should happen instead?
- careful infrastructure
- higher mixed density developments in cities
- incentives for Ontarians to move to less populous areas of Ontario
- a real plan for public transportation like high speed rail between our most populous cities. It’s ridiculous that we don’t have it. Look at what high speed rail has done for Europe and Japan.