I do not support the…

I do not support the proposed amendments to the Greenbelt Area boundary legislation for the following reasons:

- the present government previously promised there would be no lands removed from the Greenbelt, and this is a terrible precedent for a future government to similarly break its commitment in this respect
- allegations have been made in the media that certain developers may have gained access to insider information about the proposed removals, thus tainting the entire process. An independent inquiry should be undertaken to determine if the allegations are true before proceeding any further with the proposal
- removal of protected areas will break up the continuity and integrity of the remaining areas, thus jeopardising their biodiversity value
- alternatives to free up land for building have not been sufficiently exhausted; for example densification could be increased in underused or derelict light industrial lands within the Municipality of Metro Toronto and neighbouring municipalities
- the low density homes to be built on the proposed removed lands would be the worst type of housing from an environmental and services perspective, creating additional commuting pollution and a financial burden on municipalities to provide hydro, gas, water, sewer and transit infrastructure
- the proposed addition of lands to the Greenbelt is inferior in quality to the lands proposed to be removed

Respectfully submitted,