Although I have serious…

Although I have serious concerns about the More Homes Built Faster Act, I would like to focus this letter on the accompanying proposal to remove 7400 acres of land from the Greenbelt Protection area. I object in the strongest possible terms to the changes being proposed by your government.

The Greenbelt was established in 2005 to preserve prime agricultural land, as well as safeguard sensitive environmental areas and hydrological features. Those needs are still strong, even stronger in the face of climate change. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture reports that the current rate of loss of farmland is 319 acres per day in our province (2021 Census of Agriculture) and yet only 5% of the province is suitable for farming. Wetlands are our guard against flooding, a rising threat. Today comes the release of the latest Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Report indicating that more than 2,200 plants, animals, fish and other wildlife are at risk of dying out and that another 135 species are already extinct in Canada. Yet the current government proposes to impinge on some of the very habitats the Greenbelt aims to protect.

Through research and personal experience, I am fully aware of the current need and future requirement for more housing and for more affordable housing in the province; however, removing land from Greenbelt protection is not the way to go about it.

The 50 000+ new homes that the government claims will result from the Greenbelt Proposal will likely be traditional suburban style single-family homes on larger lots, rather than the more affordable multi-home buildings that should and can be built within existing urban boundaries. Even the Housing Affordability Task Force commissioned by the Ontario government (2022) noted that “Land is not being used efficiently across Ontario” and stated “for example, it’s estimated that 70% of land zoned for housing in Toronto is restricted to single-detached or semi-detached homes (p.10). It urged, as a better solution for housing shortages, the end of exclusionary zoning in many municipalities and noted that “Underused or redundant commercial and industrial buildings are ripe to be redeveloped into housing or mixed commercial and residential use (p. 4). This claim is supported by David Crombie (former head of the Greenbelt Council, and current Chair, Friends of the Golden Horseshoe) and Anne Golden (former Chair Task Force on the Future of the GTA) in a Toronto Star article of Jan. 18, 202 where they write that “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.” Yes, more housing is needed in Ontario but not on Greenbelt land removed from efficient mass transit and existing infrastructure

The arrangement suggested in the proposal also gives developers too free a hand. It notes, “It is the government’s expectation that construction of these new homes will begin on these lands by no later than 2025, and that significant progress on approvals and implementation be achieved by the end of 2023.” and “If these conditions are not met, the government will begin the process to return the properties back to the Greenbelt.” Notice the vagueness in “the government will begin the process”. What will happen if the developers cite delays beyond their control and launch lawsuits? It seems highly unlikely any lands wrested from the Greenbelt would be returned no matter what. Instead, this move to offer developers rights to develop lands that have been previously protected will only encourage the pressure on the government by these and other developers who have been slower off the mark to do the same in other areas – and with the ability to cite precedent.

In addition, the methods that the current Progressive Conservative government has employed to pursue this goal are profoundly undemocratic. Premier Doug Ford and Cabinet Minister Steve Clark’s previous statements in support of the Greenbelt integrity have been well documented. Among these the following stands out as the best example of a broken promise: “Unequivocally, we won’t touch the Greenbelt…I have heard it loud and clear, people do not want me touching the Greenbelt. I’m not touching the Greenbelt.” (Premier Doug Ford, 2018). The impact of the Greenbelt proposal on Hamilton is a good example of the undemocratic nature of the proposal. In November, 2021 the locally elected City Council, backed by a huge majority of citizens in a mail-in survey, voted to freeze the city’s boundaries to contain urban sprawl. Now this decision is being overridden by the Greenbelt proposal that would remove protection from three areas in the Hamilton area. Recent unproved allegations that some developers had inside knowledge of planned changes are also disturbing.

It seems that the Ford government thinks we should be pleased to see the one proposed addition of 7000 acres to Greenbelt protection in the environmentally sensitive area of the Paris-Galt moraine. The protection of this moraine is key to water safety and food security. However, this welcome move does appear to be an opportunistic way of addressing criticisms about the removal of 7400 acres of Greenbelt protection from 15 other areas. Local municipal leaders in Erin report surprise at the designation and proponents of moraine protection assert that 40 000 acres of protection is more in line with what is needed (Toronto Star, Nov. 29) Similarly, the claims about the additional protections afforded to the 13 urban river valleys seem misleading. Environmentalists assert that the river courses are already protected.

The boundaries drawn for the Greenbelt in 2005 were probably the best solution at the time. Adding to them is in line with ongoing concerns about the overwhelming social value of farmland, woodlands, wetlands and moraines. By contrast, removing land from the Greenbelt is short sighted: it will not accomplish a dramatic rise in affordable housing, it will jumpstart the construction of even more roads and highways paid for by taxpayers and it will enrich speculators and developers.

When the current government invited consultation in 2021 on ways of expanding the existing Greenbelt there was a large public response, most of which favoured Greenbelt expansion – not contraction.

Who benefits from this proposed change to the Greenbelt? Certainly not the vast majority of present and future Ontarians.

I have written to my MPP and consider this an urgent matter.