I urge the Government of…

I urge the Government of Ontario to immediately repeal Bill 23. Now more than ever, we need environmentally-protected land to remain protected.

This bill is being put forth under the guise of “affordability.” Building these new homes on environmentally-sensitive land will not solve the housing crisis. In fact, this bill will make things worse for affordability. Prices will still remain the same, there will be thousands of new, unaffordable homes, and we will have lost environmentally-sensitive land that we can never get back. This land was protected for a reason. The fact that this can now be undone is a travesty that will live in infamy as one of the most corrupt and damaging decisions in the history of our province. Doug Ford previously said that he would protect the green belt. Where is that sentiment now?

It is no secret to the people of Ontario that this bill benefits developers. It is public knowledge that these developers have made political donations to the Conservative Party. Nothing is sacred anymore - not even land that was supposed to be protected in perpetuity.

The government needs to protect farmland, as well as our environmentally-sensitive wetlands and green spaces. If it does not, who will? This soil the proposed houses will be built on is some of the best in Canada. Who will feed all of these people in the new houses if there is no farmland left for farmers? We need long- term thinking - no more short term cash grabs that benefit few.

One day, when all the green spaces are gone, and the environment has been pushed to its very limits, you will find out that you can’t eat money.

I urge you to consider the serious repercussions of this decision and repeal this Bill.