OPPOSITION LEADERS CALL FOR AUDIT OF FORD GOVERNMENT'S GREENBELT DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Jan 12, 2023
By Bob Komsic
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Provincial Auditor-General Bonnie Lysyk is being asked to look into the Ford government’s moves to open up portions of the sensitive Greenbelt to developers.
Incoming NDP Leader Marit Stiles, as well as the Liberals John Fraser and Green Party’s Mike Schreiner are calling on her to conduct a financial assessment of the Conservative’s decision to remove 7,400 acres from the protected land while adding land elsewhere.
In a joint letter the three say such a probe is needed ”given the strong likelihoods of negative impacts” the decision will have on the environment.
Several big developers have bought Greenbelt land since the government was first elected in 2018, including one last September, prompting advocacy groups to allege they were given a heads up about the government’s plan.
The OPP is looking into whether a much larger investigation is warranted.
Both the premier and housing minister have repeatedly denied tipping off developers.
”Additionally, we are requesting a value-for-money audit investigating how much public wealth has been transferred to property owners and whether these land transactions are in the public interest,” the letter reads.