Greenbelt Survey

An Ontario-wide Survey on Bill 23 (Build More Homes Faster Act), Protection of Ontario's Greenbelt and Affordable Housing

c/o SPR Associates | 260 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1N1 | www.spr.ca

_______________________________________________________________________________

The recent passage of the Provincial Government's Bill 23 has unleashed a torrent of criticism and opposition from the Association of Municipalities Ontario (and dozens of individual municipalities), the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, nature and environmental organizations, affordable housing advocates, and the editorial boards of major news outlets such as the Toronto Star.

In addition, in the legislature, the acting NDP leader has recently asked for an inquiry into not only the economic and environmental impacts of Bill 23, but also into the ethics of Bill 23, and how it aids profits by developers. Similarly, the leader of the Ontario Green Party, Mike Schreiner, has asked for the Ontario Integrity Commissioner to investigate whether Ontario's steps for Bill 23 have broken ethics rules.

A cross-sectoral survey: Recognizing the need to consolidate assessments of these issues across diverse sectors (environment and nature, municipalities, planning and housing), SPR has launched this survey to assess wider Ontario opinion on these issues. Invitations to the survey are being distributed by municipalities and organizations in environment and nature, planning, housing and other areas.

SPR has a 25+ year track record in public policy research for the Ontario Government, nature organizations (such as Hiking Ontario) and others. SPR has completed many other surveys, such as our 2022 surveys on burnout in Ontario health organizations, and other surveys of tens of thousands of Ontarian in planning, housing, highway and workplace safety, family violence and other areas.

Confidentiality: Individual survey responses will be kept confidential by SPR and results from the survey will be summarized and reported in aggregate form only.

We hope you will take ten minutes to complete this survey.

________________________________________________________________________________

1.	Do you feel that the Province of Ontario should commission an independent review of Bill 23 and its development (conducted by the integrity Commissioner, the Auditor General or another independent entity)? (Select all that apply)
		Yes, to reveal why particular lands were removed from the Greenbelt
		Yes, to examine the ethics of Bill 23's introduction
		No, Bill 23 was a reasonable and ethical way to provide additional land for housing (SKIP TO Q.3)
		Other (please specify):

2.	Are you concerned with Bill 23 and the Greenbelt issue because of: (Select all that apply)
		The negative impacts on funding for municipalities
		Impacts on the environment
		Impacts on planning
		Impacts on housing, including the provision of affordable housing
		Impacts on farming (protecting agricultural lands)
		Loss of green space, recreational areas
		Impacts on climate change
		Other (please specify):

3.	How did you become aware of this survey? (Select all that apply)
		A nature/environmental organization
		A municipality or municipal official
		A planning organization
		A housing organization
		A business organization (e.g. Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement Association)
		Newspaper, other mainstream media or social media
		A resident association or other community organization
		Other (please specify):

4.	Are you: (Select one)
		A homeowner
		A renter
		Other (please specify):

5.	Do you feel that Bill 23 will result in an increase in the supply of affordable housing in Ontario? (Select one)
		Yes
		No
		Don't know/Unsure

6.	In what region of Ontario do you live? (Select one)
		GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
		Other Central Ontario
		Southwestern Ontario
		Eastern Ontario
		Northern Ontario
		Other (please specify):

7.	In your view, should Bill 23 be repealed and replaced with other ways of addressing Ontario's need for more affordable housing? (Select one)
		Yes
		No
		Don't know

8.	Do you have any other comments on Bill 23 or removing portions land from the Greenbelt?

9.	Are you: (Select all that apply)
		A mayor of an Ontario municipality
		A member of a municipal council
		An official/member of a conservation authority
		An official/member of an environmental or nature organization
		An official/member of a housing building organization, or a worker in the housing industry
		A member of a First Nation or other Indigenous person
		An official, board member, or resident of a non-profit housing organization or co-op
		A planner or member of a planning organization
		A user of Ontario greenspaces (e.g. for activities such as hiking, walking, snowmobiling)
		Other (please specify):

10.	Would you like to receive results of this survey or more information on the Greenbelt? (Select all that apply)
		Yes, results of the survey (please provide contact information below)
		Yes, related information on the Greenbelt issue (please provide contact information below)
		No

11.	Please provide your contact information (this information will only be used to share the survey results with you):
	Name:
	E-mail:

Thank you for completing this survey.

Please click SUBMIT to record your answers.