The Greenbelt was established around the
Golden Horseshoe, one of the fastest growing urban areas in
North America. The population in the region increased from 6.5 to 7.7 million between 1991 and 2001. The population increase put urban development pressure on areas surrounding Greater Toronto and Hamilton. Between 1996 and 2001, the amount of farmland decreased by 7% in the
GTA, and by 6% in
Hamilton. In 2015, the Greenbelt Plan started its 10-year review in coordination with the
Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the
Niagara Escarpment Plan, and the
Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. As part of the review, the Province gathered public feedback through a series of community meetings and online engagement. The Province released a discussion document to "help inform and guide discussions." The deadline for feedback on the proposed changes for the Co-ordinated Land Use Planning Review was 31 October 2016 and the Provincial Government expected to release specifics about the future plan in "early 2017". The Building Industry and Land Development Association, a
lobby group for the development and construction industry in Ontario, claimed that the Greenbelt and other anti-sprawl policies are responsible for the lack of
affordable housing in southern Ontario. Urban planners dispute this, stating that large amounts of land in southern Ontario set aside for development remained unused as of 2016 and would be sufficient to support over a decade of new development. Facing pressure from realtors and home builders to decrease the size of the Greenbelt to allow for expansion of housing developments, Premier
Kathleen Wynne said that the 27 April 2017 Provincial Budget will not diminish the protected lands. "We're committed to growing the Greenbelt not shrinking the Greenbelt," she explained. According to the Neptis Foundation (a publisher of nonpartisan research on urban regions), there are roughly still available for development in the GTHA, adequate until at least 2031. Research conducted by the CBC confirms that a great deal of land is available in both
Halton Region and Toronto; for example 6,000 and 118,610 housing units, respectively, have been approved but not built.
Oakville Mayor
Rob Burton commented to the CBC about developers in late March 2017 that "we've given them serviced land they're sitting on." Toronto's Chief Planner
Jennifer Keesmaat added that "builders control supply in this region. We live in a cartel economy." became new housing in 2022 In late April 2018, during the
2018 Ontario general election campaign,
Doug Ford, leader of the
Ontario Progressive Conservative Party discussed the Greenbelt in a video released to the news media. Ford said that he would open the protected area to development if he was elected. His assurance to developers was made on the claim that the cost of new homes in the GTA and Hamilton area could be reduced if additional land were made available. Tim Gray, executive director of the environmentalist group
Environmental Defence, reminded the news media that "municipal data shows that there is enough land available to provide for housing development within existing Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area urban boundaries until 2031." The next day, Ford reversed his position and said he would not develop the protected area.
Greenbelt scandal After re-election in 2022, and amidst a worsening housing and affordability crisis, Premier Doug Ford became
embroiled in controversy over properties released from Greenbelt protection. One developer had purchased property shortly before the decision was made. A total of of Greenbelt land was removed, while of land was added. On August 9, 2023, the Auditor General released a report on the Greenbelt swap-out which found the government's flawed process had favoured certain developers who stood to earn over $8 billion. The AG also confirmed that alterations to the Greenbelt were not necessary to reach Ontario's housing target and that Housing Minister
Steve Clark's chief of staff "failed to consider environmental, agricultural and financial risks and impacts". Calls from the opposition for Clark to resign were resisted by Ford and Clark himself, but Clark's chief of staff stepped down. At the end of August, Ontario's Integrity Commissioner found Clark had broken ethics rules, and on September 4, Clark tendered his resignation and was replaced by
Paul Calandra. The following day, Ford reiterated he would follow 14 of the Auditor General's 15 recommendations but would proceed with allowing the construction of affordable homes under $500,000 for "newcomers and young people" on the Greenbelt. He also stated more applications to remove land from the Greenbelt would be reviewed. He did not answer a reporter's question about reinstating Rent Control, nor did he comment on calls from First Nation Chiefs across Ontario to return traditional territories to the Greenbelt. On September 20, another minister from Ford's cabinet,
Kaleed Rasheed, resigned over his relationship with a developer involved in the Greenbelt land swap. The next day, Ford announced that after continuous backlash from constituents and two reports regarding the flawed process of opening the Greenbelt he would reverse his decision to open the Greenbelt to development. He apologized to the people of Ontario and promised to encourage building within urban boundaries. On October 16, Minister Calandra tabled a bill that would restore the Greenbelt lands removed in 2022 and that any future changes to the Greenbelt would have to go through the legislature. On December 6, 2023, Bill 136 received royal assent. ==Purpose and composition==