Dear MPP Rick Byers,

I don’t want my property taxes to go up. And so I urge you to repeal Bill 23.

My understanding is that Premier Ford has waived all development charges. So how are cash-strapped municipalities going to be able to pay to service new lots?

By taxing us, the landowners!

Your Bill 23 is paying out to private developers and we’re going to be left with the bill. If anything, Bill 23 is going to slow down development as municipalities are forced to say no to development that places an increased burden on stressed services and on stressed out taxpayers.

I would also urge you to keep the Ontario Progressive Conservative party’s promise to preserve the Greenbelt. Farmland is already expensive. By opening the Greenbelt to development you are encouraging land speculation and placing farmland further out of reach for our future farmers. With agriculture playing a large and important role in this province’s economy, it seems unwise to pave over this important part of our economic engine.

Please repeal Bill 23.

Finally, there is a housing affordability crisis and your government is setting us back in addressing this very pressing problem. We need affordable housing, not new multi-million dollar homes in suburbia that barely scratch the surface of this deep and well-rooted problem.

We need real solutions.

Not pretend ones that break electoral promises.

Once again, please repeal Bill 23.

Tasha Schmidt, Owen Sound