I don't write many letters…

I don't write many letters to the government, but when I do, it is done out of extreme concern.

In this particular case, I am extremely concerned about the Ford government's plan to remove approximately 7000 hectares of land from our critical environmental defense known commonly as the Greenbelt. The approach that is being taken appears to me like a reckless knee-jerk reaction to another crisis (housing).

The plan to "just add more land somewhere else" is both naïve, and deceptive, as I understand much of the land that is propose to be 'added' is already protected under other agreements.

The Greenbelt is a SYSTEM of connected lands. You can't just remove a bit here, and add in add a bit somewhere else. They all work together to form an organic mechanism that help prevent flooding, provide habitat to the wildlife, and mitigate the affects of climate change.

Please understand that I am not opposed to development. Everyone needs a place to live, and we have to do something to address the housing crisis our society faces.... BUT, like the recent pandemic, it must be approached in a rational, scientifically informed manner, and with adequate public consultation / communication, and a THOUGHTFUL and BALLANCED plan, formed in consultation with experts.

Experts are saying that we already have enough land to create the housing that is needed to address the crisis, and that we don't need to take the unprecedented step of pulling land out of the Greenbelt in order to address it. We just need a targeted, and well thought out urban development strategy that focuses on intensification rather than expansion.

What we desperately need in the case of urban planning is a common way of placing value on all our land that takes into account ALL factors including environmental value (wetlands, breeding grounds, migratory patterns etc), , societal / historical value(including indigenous), and development potential (farm vs. residential vs. commercial vs. park), and create highly detained value map. These maps could then be a basis for strategic and well planned land use that is both rational and balanced.

My greatest fear is that this current government will recklessly take us down a path of urban sprawl that can't be recovered from. A path that tries to solve complex problems in simplistic ways. The housing crisis is real, but expanding our borders into protected lands is NOT the answer.

I believe we should not only leave our Greenbelt in tack, but repeal Bill 23 entirely, as it appears to be nothing more than a land grab that removes land-use powers from the municipalities, and muzzles the environmental protection groups that are their to help guide the government in its land-use decisions.