Ontario says it will protect land for every development the government fast-tracks.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark says two acres will be added to the protected Greenbelt in southern Ontario for every acre of land developed through a minister’s zoning order.
Those orders give the government power to fast-track land development projects without full consultations.
Clark’s pledge covers MZOs he’s issued in the past and those he will in the future.
The Progressive Conservative government has issued more MZOs than previous governments and says it’s doing so to build housing and create jobs.
But critics say they are being overused to allow potentially harmful development to go ahead without proper environmental consultation.
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