Letter sent to Regional councillors regarding urban expansion


On February 9th you will make a crucial decision about the future of Halton Region, determining the quality of life here for the next 30 years. We are asking you to vote NO to any urban boundary expansion.

Protecting what remains of Halton’s precious farmland is more important than ever. According to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario lost 1.5 million acres to urban development between 1996 and 2016 — a loss of 175 acres of farmland each day. Not only does Ontario’s farmland feed cities, they have dramatic potential to sequester carbon, protect biodiversity and other essential climate change benefits. We cannot afford to keep paving over vital farmland and natural heritage with costly and unsustainable development.

Young people and other home-seekers are increasingly demanding homes built within existing urban areas, closer to work, amenities and public transit. The Ontario NDP supports the development of “complete communities,” where people have equitable access to homes, jobs, schools, community services and recreation — all within walking distance, or a quick ride by bike, transit or paratransit. Complete communities support a high quality of life and human health, where people of all ages, abilities, cultural backgrounds and incomes can live, work and play.

To accomplish this, the provincial government needs to work with municipalities like Halton to accelerate the construction of new homes on the ample land already available within existing urban boundaries, while protecting precious farmland and natural heritage. This includes aligning growth with transit investments and enabling more “missing middle” housing, including more affordable options like duplexes and townhouses.

Unfortunately, the Ford government is relying on flawed, politically-driven growth projections and land needs assessments which expand urban boundaries and pave over precious green space. These projections consistently overestimate the demand for car-oriented development on farmland, while underestimating the demand for new housing built within existing urban areas.

The Ontario NDP’s municipal affairs critic recently wrote to the Auditor General expressing concern with Ontario’s inaccurate growth projections and highlighting some of the long-term consequences, such as loss of farmland, higher taxes for infrastructure servicing, and unfair windfalls to land speculators. In response, the Auditor General has confirmed to the NDP that she is conducting an audit of Ontario’s growth planning policies, which will likely be published in her Annual Report this December.

In the meantime, the Ford government is continuing to push forward with politically-driven growth projections and strong-arming municipalities into expanding their urban boundaries and sacrificing even more farmland.

Please protect our farmland and natural spaces, and plan for sustainable growth within this great region’s existing urban boundaries. On February 9, please reject any urban boundary expansion, and say Yes to affordable housing development within Halton’s existing urban boundaries.



Sincerely,

Milton NDP Riding Association

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