Doug Ford’s Greenbelt scandal: The beginning of the end of his years in power?
Doug Ford’s Greenbelt scandal: The beginning of the end of his years in power?
By Mark Winfield
Professor, Environmental
and Urban Change,
York University, Canada
August 17, 2023
The findings of Ontario’s auditor general on the provincial government’s decision to remove 7,400 acres from the Greater Toronto Area Greenbelt came as no surprise to those who have been closely following Premier Doug Ford’s approach to planning and development.
Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk determined:
• Well-connected developers were given direct access to ministerial staff and the opportunity to rewrite planning rules to suit their own interests;
• Normal decision-making processes and planning rules were bypassed;
• Overwhelming evidence that indicated there was no need to remove land from the Greenbelt to meet the region’s housing needs was ignored;
• Decisions were made to provide billions of dollars in benefits to private interests that won’t enhance housing affordability in any way.
Comments (0)