Housing developments are using up valuable agricultural land
By Lethbridge Herald on June 11, 2025.
Editor,
Re: Housing is more unaffordable than ever, Herald, May 22.
Around the world, urban populations have skyrocketed. In most European countries, strict land-use regulations are critical to limit urban sprawl and to protect land used for food production. Anyone driving from Lethbridge to both Coaldale and Calgary will see an explosion of acreages with huge single family homes. This has removed some of the most productive land anywhere in the world from agricultural use. In major cities in all countries, people live and work in high rises. This is completely normal. Not limiting land for development will lead to more expensive food and, inevitably, food shortages. Once you build on it, that agricultural land is gone forever. As Joni Mitchell put it “You pave paradise and put up a parking lot.” Let’s not do that!
Leslie Lavers
Lethridge
6-5
So nobody should live in a house? We should all live in high-rise appartments? Seems like a few places have that now, Russia and China come to mind. That might be ok for you but I kind of like my lawn. And those huge houses you refer to are mostly for the farmers who own the land or acreage owners (like myself) that love that lifestyle.
If you want to live your life like you’re in East Berlin knock yourself out. But many people enjoy some wide open spaces. And BTW, I have been to Europe and there is the odd person living in the country there as well.
Okay, Boomer.