We, along with many citizen groups, are very concerned about the Ford Government’s proposed Bill 23, ‘More Homes Built Faster Act’. Please join us and make our voices heard by executing our democratic rights, letting the government know we will not stand by while they pass a bill that will enable the destruction and paving of forests, farmlands, and wetlands in favour of urban sprawl.  Bill 23 will put our province and our region deeper into the biodiversity, climate, housing, affordability, food and health crises.  Can our leaders not be smart and capable enough to build affordable housing while still protecting the environment? We need to be mindful that the reckless building decisions made today will have implications for generations to come. Is this the legacy we want to leave to our children and grandchildren?

THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS FOR VOICING YOUR OPPOSITION TO THIS DAMAGING BILL:

1) Send a letter TODAY to Premier Doug Ford, Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks and your local MPP. 

We have provided a sample letter (below) that you are welcome to copy and paste or use as a reference for writing your own. Contact information for the Minister and MPP are provided with the sample letter below. These letters DO make a difference!
 
2) Sign this (click here)  Action Letter by Environmental Defence.

3) Send a written submission opposing Bill 23 to the Standing Committee by 7PM ET Thursday, November 17, 2022 to: Email Standing Committee (cut and paste our sample letter below or add your own comments).

BILL 23 MUST BE STOPPED TO PREVENT:

• The decimated powers of the Conservation Authorities in Ontario, stripping the power of environmental experts to review planning applications and work alongside municipalities to determine proper development opportunities
• The removal of significant protection of farmland and natural heritage causing both environmental and socio-economic risks
• Undermining the ecosystem services offered by our natural habitats such as cleaning the air and regulating and attenuating water and nutrients
• Undermining of climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. These habitats, if left intact, are critical carbon sinks.

IF NOT STOPPED, EXPECT TO SEE:

• Municipalities blindfolded, without Conservation Authorities, to approve developments with no studies or information on environmental impact thus creating massive risks of flooding and rampant sprawl in flood-prone areas
• Reduction in farmland causing food shortages
• Destruction of the wetlands, watersheds and the carbon sinks they create.  Without them, we are much more vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of climate change such as heat island effects, drought and flooding. In addition to mitigating flooding, wetlands are intrinsically connected to larger natural heritage systems. As biodiversity hotspots, wetlands are home to species at risk, and provincially and regionally rare species. The degradation of wetlands has cumulative impacts on the watershed – native plants and animals will be displaced and migration and breeding grounds will be disrupted 
• Economic impact caused by the destruction of the natural beauty of Ontario that attracts millions of tourists annually.

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Premier Doug Ford

CC: Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

CC: David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks

CC:  Brian Sanderson, MPP

I would like to voice my opposition to Bill 23, the proposed 'More Homes Built Faster Act'. While housing availability and affordability is top of mind, my main reasons for opposing this Bill are the climate, and related biodiversity and food crises. Unless this Bill can be amended to adequately protect our environment (and empower Conservation Authorities), it is an unacceptable and irresponsible piece of legislation. As is, Bill 23 will put our province and our region deeper into the biodiversity, climate, housing, affordability, food and health crises. It is critical that we use a climate lens when addressing the housing crisis in Ontario so that development is aligned with the climate mitigation and adaptation that is required of us. 

The most glaringly unacceptable feature of this Bill and its associated policy proposals is an attack on Conservation Authorities, and enabled destruction of forests, farmland, and wetlands in favour of urban sprawl. 

Climate mitigation and adaptation:

Forests, farmland and wetlands, if left intact, are critical carbon sinks. Without them, we not only lose that sink, we are also much more vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of climate change such as heat island effects, drought and flooding. 

Under the proposed Bill, our emissions will increase due to the release of stored carbon dioxide, but also by promoting more urban sprawl dependent on personal automobile transportation. The ecosystem services provided by forests, farmland and wetlands, such as biodiversity, cleaning the air and regulating and attenuating water and nutrients, are not being considered with the tabling of this legislation. 

Further, decimating the powers of the Conservation Authorities would create massive risks of flooding and rampant sprawl in flood-prone areas. When these areas are impacted by extreme weather events, the municipalities and taxpayers will be left with skyrocketing costs.

On the contrary, Ontario should be investing in nature based climate solutions to protect our current housing stock and develop green building standards for new developments.   

Farmland

Bill 23 threatens our farmland. The reasons for eating local food have never been stronger, and are becoming even more apparent with a changing climate and disrupted supply chains. We need to be investing in our local food systems, not destroying them.

Green buildings

I would like to see my municipality, develop green building standards. Other municipalities have adopted green building standards to ensure new construction is environmentally, socially and economically responsible as well as cheaper to own and maintain. This Bill will take away the municipal authority to require green buildings and undermine the affordability benefits that energy-efficient, climate-resilient buildings provide to owners and tenants. 

Unless the major flaws in this Bill are addressed it will further the destruction of critical natural areas in a time of climate and biodiversity crisis, while also failing to deliver the affordable housing that Ontario needs.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Your Postal Code)

Contact Information:

Brian Saunderson, MPP (Simcoe-Grey) contact information: Brian.Saunderson@pc.ola.org; (705) 446-1090

Premier Doug Ford contact information: doug.fordco@pc.ola.org

Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing contact information: Steve.Clark@pc.ola.org; (613) 342-9522

David Piccini, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks contact information: David.Piccini@pc.ola.org; (905) 372-4000

Sincerely,
Friends of Silver Creek