For immediate release

Local Green Party Welcomes City Council Decision

PETERBOROUGH, January 31, 2022 – The local constituency association of the Green Party of Ontario welcomes the Peterborough City Council’s decision today to participate in the $1.75 million Streamline Development Approval Fund (SDAF) program.

This decision shows a willingness to embrace an opportunity to build an inclusive city that provides everyone a safe and healthy place to call home.

The program enables the city to develop tools that can speed the approval of innovative initiatives for increasing the housing density, thus reducing development costs due to urban sprawl.

“When I read the report presented by City staff today, I was excited to see awareness of several of the solutions that the Green Party is promoting,” commented Pati Beaudoin, President of the local constituency association.

Shortly after the 2018 election, the GPO began an in-depth research project into the causes of the housing crisis and solutions that support both people and the planet. By June 2021, the results had been refined into a comprehensive policy heralded by the Toronto Star as masterclass1. GPO Leader and MPP Mike Schreiner has introduced multiple solutions from the plan at Queen’s Park.

“For example,” explains Beaudoin, “ “missing middle” housing (low-rise multi-unit buildings of a variety of types) will make our neighbourhoods more inclusive and accessible while increasing the supply of less expensive housing. Also, Facilitating the use of modular housing construction will speed up construction, and thus reduce construction costs. Modular construction is also conducive to net-zero and energy plus construction which reduces energy costs.”

“While we are glad that these benefits may now flow more easily to Peterborough”, Beaudoin cautions, “We are also concerned by the way this program has been launched by the provincial government. It was announced on January 19, with a deadline for cities to sign agreements by January 31. 12 days. Having waited until now to take this step, why demand agreement in such a short time? This type of program should be province -wide and inclusive. Some cities should not be left behind because of an arbitrarily short agreement deadline. And we wonder what is in store for all the cities and rural areas that are not covered in this program.”

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https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2021/06/28/housing-needs-a-range-of-solutions-ontarios-greens-prop ose-a-way-forward.html

The solutions to the housing crisis are not only in the realm of provincial and municipal land use planning systems. This is a complex problem which requires investment in non-market models such as co-ops and land trusts, use of provincial land for social housing, better tenant and landlord rights protection and a commitment to Housing First and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.

“The Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party of Ontario Constituency Association is dedicated to bringing equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and truly affordable housing to our riding.

Nominations for our candidate for the June 2022 election are open for a few more weeks. This is a great opportunity for housing and environment champions,” Beaudoin concludes.

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Background on GPO Housing Strategy: gpo.ca/housing Press contact:

Dr. Pati Beaudoin pati_beaudoin@live.com

(President, Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party of Ontario Constituency Association)

Bio for Dr. Pati Beaudoin:

Dr. Pati Beaudoin was born in Toronto, educated at U of Guelph and U of Toronto, then worked in the United States as a psychologist until 2018, when she returned to Canada, choosing Peterborough as her new home. Pati has been dedicated to environmental issues since her teen years when she was active in the acid rain issue.

While in the US Pati could not hold office or join parties, being Canadian; however, she was active in both the environmental and social justice movements, which she sees as overlapping. She has held executive positions in several professional societies. Since returning to Canada, Pati has been establishing herself professionally; now that the professional task is less demanding she has chosen and has been elected to serve as President of the

Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party.