Consultations about Ontario's proposed Greenbelt Protection Plan, which would prohibit new development in an area of 1.8 million acres around the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe, are almost complete -- but the war of words between those for and against the plan is just getting started.

Recently the Ontario College of Family Physicians came out in support of the plan, and urged the government to take it even further and introduce greenbelts to other areas of the province. The group completed a literature review of research conducted on urban sprawl and its image on public health, and they say the news for suburbanites is not good.

"Evidence clearly shows that people who live in spread-out, car-dependent neighbourhoods are likely to walk less, weigh more, and suffer from obesity and high blood pressure and consequent diabetes, cardio-vascular and other diseases, as compared to people who live in more efficient, higher density communities," says the doctors' report.

The biggest problem with urban sprawl is the dependence it creates for private automobiles, says the report. In addition to the serious heath problems from vehicle emissions, it says, "Urban sprawl leads to increased traffic, which in turn leads to increased accidents and fatalities....as well as mental health impacts (stress, road rage and anxiety). A greater number of fatalities occur where the population density is lower. Road accidents represent the most underestimated risk that people are exposed to in everyday life."

The stress from longer commutes and greater distances to reach services is having a negative effect on physical health, and causes stress that impacts on family life and work performance, say the doctors.

"Many people move to the suburbs in order to escape the perceived 'ills of the city,'" says the report. While citing some benefits of suburbia: "less exposure to noise pollution, less overcrowding, decreased stigma and fear of crime, and a greater experience of nature," it says "there appears to be growing evidence that suggests that the negative health impacts are enormous and ultimately far outweigh those benefits…As a sanctuary from life stress, sprawl communities have increased loneliness, inactivity, depression and commuting stress with which to contend. Ironically, the promise of increased contact with nature is contradicted by the fact that sprawling development reduces the amount and quality of natural areas."

But Frank Clayton, chair of the recently formed Greenbelt Coalition Advisory Council , told a legislative committee studying the issue that "the current legislation looks very much like an environmental Trojan horse. It may look like a gift that everyone wants but when you look inside, you get more than an undesirable surprise."

The group, made up of members of the development community, say the new legislation is not based on scientific research, and that much more study should be done before the proposal becomes law. "With the certainty of significant housing price increases and no growth plan, infrastructure plan, transportation plan, economic and social impact assessments, the government's rush to pass its legislation will have negative implications for today and future generations," Clayton says.

The group says the greenbelt will simply force development further from Toronto, creating even worse traffic congestion and the resulting pollution. Speaking earlier this week to a group of real estate appraisers, Clayton said, "It is incorrect to assume that restricting the future supply of single-family homes inside the greenbelt, even severely, will have no effect on growth outside the greenbelt -- our expectation is that buyers will move outward to find more affordable housing." It may also force companies to relocate in the United States where land costs are cheaper, the coalition says.

Paul Mistele, vice-president of Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says his organization supports the Greenbelt Coalition. "The proposed greenbelt legislation ignores science, economics, farm viability and the contribution of farmers to the Ontario economy…We need to get it right."