Bill 23 is destructive to…

Bill 23 is destructive to the environment, the economy, the availability of affordable housing in complete communities and to democracy in Ontario.

1. The environment includes the green spaces, agricultural and park land, waterways wetlands and woodlands that provide the essentials of life to the people of Ontario. Supplies of clean water, air and soil rich in organic matter keep us alive and well.
Opening up portions of the Greenbelt to development destroys the environmental benefits of those lands.
Undermining the longstanding and effective role of Conservation Authorities in directing development to suitable locations risks the health and well-being of local residents. The professional expertise provided by Conservation Authorities to municipal governments at a shared and reasonable cost has reduced flooding and erosion along waterways, prevented damage from irresponsibly placed development and protected woodlands and wetlands. The loss of that protection will be catastrophic. The potential loss of protected conservation land would accelerate climate disaster.

2. Cutbacks to development fees as well as the loss of affordable expertise from Conservation Authorities leaves local municipalities with greatly diminished funds for evaluating and making decisions on development. At a time when inflation is rampant, taxpayers will be left to cover the deficit for their local municipalities.

3. As well as losing development fees, municipalities could have their Official Plans amended, without their consent or approval, by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Professionally crafted, long-term, regionally coordinated planning could be overruled. The possibility of creating affordable housing in complete and healthy communities that provide the essential services within walking distance would be diminished, increasing the cost of living. Urban sprawl would continue to pave over agricultural land, impacting the cost of food. Housing in communities that require long commutes to job opportunities is not affordable housing.

4. The content as well as the process of implementing Bill 23 make it clear that the current government takes no responsibility for upholding democratic process. The public would be excluded from commenting on draft development plans, municipalities would lose their planning autonomy. Decision making would ultimately rest with a government that seeks to benefit only a small number of developers at the expense of the people of Ontario. This province is losing its credentials as a stronghold of democracy.