The Ford government is facing calls for investigations into Greenbelt deals | Daily News Byte

Provincial politicians are asking the Integrity Commissioner and Auditor General to launch investigations into a massive land swap deal that will see eleven parts of the Greenbelt handed over to developers to build new residential neighbourhoods.

On Monday, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner sent a letter to the Integrity Commissioner asking whether Premier Doug Ford and Housing Minister Steve Clark violated the MPP Integrity act and whether developers were given advance notice of the upcoming decision.

Schreiner said the integrity act prohibits members from knowingly making a decision that advances an individual’s private interests and from providing insider information that advances an individual’s private interests.

“I think we need this investigation,” Schreiner said. “Government actions don’t pass the smell test.”

In early November, the Ford government announced plans to remove 7,400 acres of land from various parts of the greenbelt that stretches from Niagara region to Durham region, and replace it with a single 9,400 acre property.

The agreement, the government claims, will allow private developers to build at least 50,000 new homes in line with the province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031.

The Ford government, however, is under intense scrutiny after media reports revealed that the land for sale was, in some cases, bought by developers weeks before the decision from Queen’s Park.

A Toronto Star / Narwhal the investigation found that an Ontario developer bought 700 acres of Greenbelt land for $80-million in September that, two months later, was part of the Ford government’s land swap deal.

The NDP estimates that another developer who will benefit from the land swap will make more than $600-million from the government’s regulatory changes — once the land is developed.

At Queen’s Park, Housing Minister Steve Clark faced direct questions about the deal and whether any of the companies that benefited from the swap had been given advance notice.

“Did the minister or any government PC party official share any information with the landowners about the government’s plan to remove greenbelt lands before they become public?” asked Jessica Bell of the NDP.

Minister Clark did not refuse, despite repeated questions.

Instead, the minister told reporters that while he regularly meets with “people who want to build housing” he “followed all the rules” when the government posted a proposal to amend the Greenbelt on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

“I did not hide the posting, I was honest, open and transparent,” said Minister Clark.

Last week, the NDP sent a letter to the Auditor General demanding an investigation and asking that “appropriate authorities” be contacted if AG Bonnie Lysyk determines the Ford government violated any rules.

“I think where there’s a lot of smoke, there better be someone looking for fire,” said NDP leadership candidate Marit Stiles. “This deal is a bit fishy.”

Lysyk’s office told Global News that while his office received the letter the office “has not yet made a decision.”

Meanwhile, Schreiner wants the Integrity Commissioner to investigate whether the Premier or Minister Clark is engaging in unregistered lobbying at Greenbelt.

“Our initial search of registered lobbyists indicates that some of the individuals reported by the media to have recently purchased land in the Greenbelt are not registered,” Schreiner told reporters at Queen’s Park.

The Integrity Commissioner’s office told Global News “the matter is under review.”

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