The Missing Middle Podcast Did the Greenbelt Break Ontario’s Housing System?
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Jan 14, 2026 Is Ontario's Greenbelt an obstacle in the housing crisis? The hosts dive into pressing questions about building homes without touching the Greenbelt. They discuss the social contract that failed families and how current policies might actually worsen sprawl. Four potential pathways forward are explored: doing nothing, legalizing family-sized housing, reducing immigration, or partially opening the Greenbelt. The conversation sheds light on the uncomfortable trade-offs politicians tend to avoid, highlighting a pressing need for family-friendly living spaces.
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Internal Pushback At Smart Prosperity Institute
- Mike Moffatt recounts advocating internally for housing work at Smart Prosperity Institute before the Ford government's Greenbelt move.
- He says critics thought touching the Greenbelt was politically impossible until the Ford government tried it and failed.
Broken Social Contract Of The Greenbelt
- The Greenbelt was sold as a social contract: protect land while allowing family-friendly infill that never materialized.
- Mike Moffatt argues this broken promise increased land prices and forced unsuitable high-rise development.
Greenbelt Creates Leapfrog Sprawl
- The Greenbelt caused a leapfrog effect, pushing families to towns beyond the belt and increasing sprawl.
- Mike Moffatt calls this outcome "sprawl on steroids" that worsens commuting and emissions.
