In Reversal, Ontario Government Could Open Toronto Greenbelt to Development

The Toronto Greenbelt was an urban growth boundary created in 2005 as one of the most obvious political victories for the Smart Growth movement in North America. A new bill would reverse course on the region’s growth policies.

2 minute read

November 27, 2022, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The downtown high rises of Hamilton, Ontario are surrounded by greenery and the blue of Lake Ontario on a sunny day.

Hamilton, Ontario | Horst Petzold / Shutterstock

“The Ontario government announced plans Friday to open up thousands of acres of land in the protected Greenbelt for development, going back on years of promises to leave it intact,” reports Emma McIntosh for the Narwhal.

The Progressive Conservatives, led by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, would build 50,000 housing units passed the edges of the region's urban growth boundaries to address the high cost of housing in the province. The plan is included in Bill 23, also known as the “More Homes Built Faster, 2022” bill.

“Ford’s plan to open up Ontario’s Greenbelt is essentially a massive land swap. The idea, the province says, is that it can drop some pieces of the protected area and add other, bigger pieces to make up for it. But the Greenbelt is huge, important and contentious, and changes to it are the result of decades of pressure from opponents,” writes McIntosh.

Toronto Star columnists have not responded positively. In a column for the Star [paywall], Martin Regg Cohn describes the plan as Premier Ford revealing his “true colours.”

“Back in 2018, Ford promised developers privately he’d open up vast tracts of land. Caught on video, he quickly repudiated the plan, vowing to leave it untouched,” writes Cohn. “Notwithstanding those words, the premier is going back on his word in 2022.”

In another column for the Star [paywall], Edward Keenan writes that Ford’s “flip flop” on the Greenbelt has left the columnist grasping for words—examining words like credulous before considering corruption and capture. “But I am not accusing anyone of corruption. I am not even suggesting it as the most likely explanation. Because there’s another ‘C’ word that came to my mind even quicker: ‘capture,” writes Keenan. “As in the term “regulatory capture.” That’s a phenomenon where a government body meant to regulate an industry is so cosy with those it is supposed to regulate that it routinely serves their interests rather than the public’s. Another term for it — also beginning with a ‘C’ — is ‘client politics,’ because the regulator comes to see those they are policing as their client.”

Writing in support of Bill 23 for the National Post, Steve Lafleur and Josef Filipowicz argue that the region can no longer wait for “perfect solutions” to the its housing affordability crisis.

Planetizen documented several earlier iterations of the Progressive Conservatives’ flirtation with Greenbelt development, including while Ford was as a candidate for premier in 2018 and in a bill that followed in early 2019.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022 in The Narwhal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Colorful blocky apartment building facade.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software

Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

April 1 - Stateline

Silver electric BMW car parked in driveway of home in Oakland, California.

Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers

Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.

April 1 - City of Oakland

Sculpture of seated Jane Goodall holding hands with chimp on green lawn.

Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action

Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.

April 1 - Pasadena Star-News