Ontario’s integrity commissioner and auditor general announced Wednesday they will conduct separate investigations into the government’s decision to open up protected Greenbelt lands to housing.
A complaint to the integrity commissioner by incoming NDP leader Marit Stiles in December asked for an investigation into what she called “the curious timing of recent Greenbelt land purchases by powerful landowners with donor and political ties to the PC Party of Ontario.”
She cited media reports that some developers had bought that land in the past few years, despite Housing Minister Steve Clark and the Premier publicly saying it would not be developed, with one purchase happening as recently as September – two months before Clark to announce that you will open the lands.
“The whole point of this is to shine a light, I think in some of the dark corners, to see if something was really done wrong,” Stiles said at a news conference Wednesday.
“These are wealthy developers, these are donors to the (Progressive) Conservative Party, and so we want to make sure that they’re not given any special warnings or that they don’t get special treatment here. Obviously, the result of changing the government’s mind … will be beneficial and make a lot of money for very few people.”
Clark announced in November that the government would remove land from 15 different areas of the protected Green Belt – which was created in 2005 to permanently protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe – while adding acres elsewhere so that 50,000 homes can be built.
Stiles has asked the integrity commissioner to investigate whether Clarke breached ethics rules in making a public policy decision to support someone’s personal interests.
The prime minister and the minister deny any wrongdoing
Both Clark and Premier Doug Ford denied tipping off developers before the public announcement.
Clark “looks forward to being cleared of any wrongdoing at the conclusion of the investigation,” a spokesman for the minister said in an emailed statement.
The integrity commissioner refused to investigate a similar complaint from Green Party leader Mike Schreiner.
Stiles, Schreiner and interim Liberal leader John Fraser also jointly wrote to the auditor general to ask her to conduct a value-for-money audit of the financial and environmental implications of the Greenbelt decision. Bonnie Lissick confirmed in a letter Wednesday to the three leaders that she would investigate.
“This issue has attracted significant public attention over the past few months and has been repeatedly raised during question periods in the legislature. We have received considerable correspondence on this matter,” Lysyk wrote.
“While requests from individual members of the legislature and the public are appreciated and taken into account in our audit work, a letter asking us to do work in a specific area, signed jointly by the leaders of all opposition parties in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, is a request of great importance.”
People opposed to the Ford government’s decision to remove parts of the Greenbelt and extend Hamilton’s city boundary protested on November 6. Similar protests took place in other parts of the province. (Graham Perry/CBC)
Timeliness of investigation is important, AG says
The government has assured Lisik of its full cooperation, she said.
Lysyk told CBC News that her office will begin its investigation immediately and hopes to complete it as soon as possible this year.
“My team knows that timeliness is important,” she said.
The Ontario Provincial Police also said investigators are wto determine whether they should initiate their own investigation in the course of the government to open the Green Belt for development. Police said Wednesday they were still investigating the case.
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