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Re: Greenbelt removals picked by housing minister's top staffer at developers' behest: auditor, Aug. 9, 2023.
Both Highway 413 and Greenbelt removals hugely favour certain developers and have been directed in large part by the Premier Doug Ford. The leadership of Doug Ford should be challenged from within the party.
Do you remember that land developer Michael De Gasperis invited Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce to watch an NHL game in Florida at his BB&T Center luxury suite on Dec. 28, 2018?
Shortly after, Highway 413 was revived, after having been shelved by the previous Liberal government as the studies showed that Hwy 413 would save commuters only 30 seconds of travel time but lose important farmland, nature trails, and pollute many streams and rivers that lead to Lake Ontario, the source of drinking water for many in the GTA.
The Conservatives paid for many ads to convince GTA commuters that Highway 413 would save commuters 30 minutes, not 30 seconds.
Now Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk has written a damning report on the selection of the land removals from the Greenbelt. Her report revealed that after the June 2022 election, Premier Ford issued a mandate letter to Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Ontario to “complete work to codify processes for swaps, expansions, contractions and policy updates for the Greenbelt.”
In other words, Premier Ford promised not to touch the Greenbelt during the election but immediately afterwards told the minister of Municipal Affairs to touch the Greenbelt.
The big BOSS, Premier Doug Ford should be encouraged by his party to resign.
Nancy Hopkinson
Nobleton
