On behalf of our entire…

On behalf of our entire family, I wish to express our significant concerns about the proposals in Bill 23 related to the Ontario Greenbelt, especially given the lack of collaboration with regional Municipalities and Conservation Authorities. All of us, from the Hamilton-Dundas area to the tip of the Bruce Saugeen Peninsula, live near Ontario's Greenbelt and its critical spaces are vital to the quality of all our lives. This is true for many Ontario citizens, not to mention the critical ecoservices that they provide.
Although we support efforts to encourage new and affordable housing, we feel strongly that any "opening" of Greenbelt lands should be the LAST option taken -- and then only in partnership with regional municipalities and Conservation Authorities. The current bill proposes major restrictions on the abilities of these local groups – who usually are more aware of key issues in their regions than any provincial minister or ministry. At minimum the bill should (1) reinstate, not restrict, the powers of conservation authorities to scrutinize development on environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands or floodplains and (2) commit the province to work in partnership with regional governments, particularly when they already have worked hard to develop local land use plans.
Virtually all recent reports indicate that there is ample land for the type of housing needed without infringing on the Greenbelt. Indeed, the housing need is greatest and most appropriate in urban areas. The infrastructure is already in place in these areas, and this is where the majority of Canadians now seeking housing and new immigrants will prefer to live. For example, the report from the Ontario Housing Affordability Task Force in February 2022 indicated, "shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem. Land is available, both inside the existing built-up areas and on undeveloped land outside greenbelts." That report added “Greenbelts and other environmentally sensitive areas must be protected".
Carving pieces out of the Greenbelt without careful planning and collaboration with those who live in those areas is NOT the way forward with this initiation. As we know from our lifetime of work with the Bruce Trail Conservancy, one piece of land is NOT the same as another so "adding back" other acres in the plan often is not a fair or equal trade. The Greenbelt has permanently protected land which guards against the loss and fragmentation of agricultural lands and the natural heritage and water resource systems that sustain ecological and human health. In addition, it builds environmental & social resilience and mitigates some negative impacts of climate change.
The government needs to come up with a better plan. Better housing options can be made available to Ontarians without it being at the cost of environment fragmentation and disregard for local planning!