Ford government acknowledged most of feedback it received from consultations opposed changes to a swath of land that’s been protected since 2005
The Ontario government was unmoved by nearly 30,000 largely negative public-consultation comments about its proposed Greenbelt changes, pushing ahead with a plan that has now prompted the angry resignation of one of its own top conservation officials.
Citing the need to build housing, Premier Doug Ford’s government proposed removing 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt and adding 9,400 acres in other areas. Developers must show quick progress on the land – which the government says could hold 50,000 homes – or it could be returned to the Greenbelt. In a social-media post this week, the chair of Ontario’s Species Conservation Action Agency, said he could not continue in the role in the face of his disappointment with the Ford government’s direction on the Greenbelt and other environmental issues.
Mr. Varty informed Environment Minister David Piccini in October, said ministry spokesman Daniel Strauss, that he wouldn’t seek reappointment for a second term prior to the announcement of changes to the Greenbelt. The government said in a summary of the comments that some communities noted that the proposed Greenbelt removals aligned with previous requests to do so, while Indigenous communities, environmental groups and “all responding Conservation Authorities” were opposed.
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