BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following is in response to 'LETTER: Area MPP says 'heartbreaking reality' spawned Bill 23,' published Dec. 23.
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I have just read the letter from Ms. Dunlop outlining the need for more housing. She has neatly summarized the necessity due to growth in Ontario. Ms. Dunlop indicates the high cost of housing makes it an impossible goal for many folks to “own their home.” Also indicated is the advantage to our local economy due to jobs.
Just a few points that she has simply ignored.
1. I would like for her to point out how building these new homes will reduce the price of housing. What will be the result of these new builds? Will we end up with projects similar to those in the United States? I have not read anywhere how this bill will decrease the cost of housing, but as a politician, you may be able to explain how this will bring prices down. In our area, which is south Innisfil, prices for a townhouse start at $799.000. Is the intention of your government to mandate price decreases? Not very likely.
2. Each time I go to a planning session, no one truly addresses environmental concerns or even living comfortably. It almost seems that to them the environment is simply an obstacle to get around. How much concern is actually placed on the security and well-being of the residents of Ontario? I truly don’t think any of these planners or specialists had planned on living in any of these communities. How many of the developers plan to live in these abodes? I’m guessing they have custom-built homes, likely in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
3. Regarding jobs, are you kidding? What percentage of the workers on a job site are actually based locally and at what rates? Do the workers buy food locally, other than the food trucks? Where are the companies of these food trucks based? Do they buy the building supplies locally to the communities they are in, or are they shipped from the GTHA? What percentage of local workers represent forepersons? It seems this bill offers the ability of these folks to ravage our landscape and leave nothing but (in my estimation) poorly built homes. If you don’t believe me, consider the mess in Barrie in which they found many homes with only a few nails on roofing panels.
4. Will the province advocate more building inspectors? I know this is a local concern, but first you are denying the municipalities of the monies they will need to support the new builds, then you are asking them for more support with less money to work with, leaving no other option but increases taxes. All municipalities in Simcoe County are projecting minimum tax increases of about five per cent, both for 2023 and 2024.
Ms. Dunlop, in my opinion this is simply one way to support the builders and developers who supported your government during the election. I have seen so many letters on this site and petitions online with thousands of signatures condemning Bill 23, but you continue to support it, despite the words from your constituents. In case you wondered, it’s going to be a while before a settlement will be built on the moon, so this is what we’ve got.
This is the only environment we have and your government is determined to ruin it. As stated before, your government was elected to rule, not ruin. Let’s see how the next election works out for you.
Finally, please stop with these statements. I personally consider these as an insult to our intelligence.
Gordon H. Crawford
Innisfil
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