Last month Premier Ford tabled a piece of legislation — Bill 23 — to gut our precious Greenbelt, breaking his promise to leave it alone.
This Bill is an attack on the environment and democracy — all under the misrepresentation of expanding housing.
Bill 23 would allow Ford to take 7,400 acres of farmland and natural areas and strip environmental protections that protect wildlife, keep our drinking water safe, guard wetlands, and ensure flood protection.
Yet in Stone Mills local farmers cannot sell any of their Prime Agricultural land. Most of Ontario’s Prime Ag land is already under highways, roads and building surrounding Metro Toronto
To pave over our Greenbelt, Ford is undermining the planning power of municipalities, forgoing requirements for public meetings and overriding the ability of communities to appeal decisions.
And housing experts and advocates have been clear: with a focus on making money, the Bill will actually limit the ability to build new affordable rental housing and jeopardize the affordable housing that exists. [All the while, corporate land developers are set to profit big from this plan.
This is our premier’s way of putting money back in the pockets of wealthy developers, a way to say thanks for all the contributions they have made to Premier Fords party and his MPP’s over the years
There’s still time to stop this Bill from going through.
Call you MPP and tell him to vote No on Bill 23.
Albert Mulligan