Save it, don’t pave it

Once again, Toronto’s Chief Planner is speaking up for the Greenbelt and citing compelling evidence to support her claims. Jennifer Keesmaat has joined forces with Cherise Burda, the Ontario Director of the Pembina Institute, to pen an op-ed in the Toronto Star: Greenbelt makes the GTA more, not less, livable. In the article, they argue there is no need for developers to carve into the Greenbelt, that there’s already enough land available outside its boundaries for housing.

Our region is not running out of land to build houses. Far from it: there are more than 1,500 square kilometres of undeveloped land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. We could build five more Mississaugas, or 11 more Oakvilles, without bumping up against the Greenbelt, if we wanted to.

They also cite evidence that we’re using less land to house more people thanks to intensification.

Based on municipal projections, 81 per cent of the “greenfield” land that is available for development in the GTA will still be unused by 2031.

If less land is required in the future, there’s no need to dismantle sections of the Greenbelt or pave over more swaths of farmland outside its borders. It’s another reason to support Food & Water First’s call for a 10-year moratorium on non-farming development impacting Class 1 farmland!