Council continues to cater to only the wealthy in times of austerity

Have you noticed what's happening to your grocery bill lately?

Throughout southern Ontario, the cost of food keeps rising.  In a province with public medicare, the long term effects of expensive food is magnified, as healthy food becomes unattainable for our poor.  Those who cannot afford to eat healthy invariably resort to low cost, high calorie processed foods that lead to obesity and dietary concerns.

So good on Newmarket's Marc Mantha and his ongoing advocacy for backyard hens.  Allowing residents to garden for fresh vegetables and have inexpensive access to fresh eggs can go a long way to bridging the financial gap for many.

But in a town where our local politicians believe that a $500,000 home qualifies as affordable  housing, it should be no surprise that our Council wants to reserve this healthy lifestyle choice to the wealthiest residents exclusively.

They have passed a pilot project allowing for backyard hens for homes that have a minimum of 50 feet distance from the hens to the next residence.

In other words, if I were to build a coop in the middle of my backyard, and I have neighbours on either side of my home, then I would need to live on a property with a minimum 65ft frontage in order to meet that 50ft requirement.  (32 ft to my property line plus 18 ft to the neighbour's home, provided that there is that much space to the neighbour's home).  I haven't even begun to factor in how large the backyard would need to be if the home has neighbours to the rear.

But how many of our community's poor live on 65ft lots?  How many middle class residents have 65 ft lots?

Unfortunately, it is only the wealthiest families in the community who can afford a large lot.  Therefore it is only the wealthiest who can have a healthy lifestyle in Newmarket.  Thanks to your Newmarket Town Council.