The investigation into the Ontario government’s decision to allocate portions of the Greenbelt for development is currently under the scrutiny of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The news came to light after an RCMP spokesperson confirmed the proceedings to CTV News Toronto on Tuesday afternoon. This inquiry will be managed by the Sensitive and International Investigations Unit of the RCMP Ontario Division.
The RCMP revealed in a statement that they have initiated an inquiry into the “allegations associated with the decision.” The unit in question is tasked with unraveling high risk matters that pose substantial threats to Canada’s political, economic, and social fabric, both domestically and internationally. Such investigations can encompass allegations of fraud, financial crimes, breach of trust, and corruption surrounding elected officials.
RCMP Cpl. Christy Veenstra pointed out that while the investigation holds pivotal interest for Canadians, preserving the integrity of the investigation to secure a fair and equitable conclusion is paramount, and thus no further updates will be shared at present.
The basis of the investigation was transferred to the RCMP by the Ontario Provincial Police back in August to swerve “any perceived conflict of interest.” The provincial police’s anti-rackets branch had been investigating complaints since mid-December.
The move to assign 15 protected land areas for development has invoked considerable backlash. The province’s integrity commissioner and auditor general concluded that some developers might have potentially received preferential treatment during the process. Nevertheless, Premier Doug Ford defended the decision for months, maintaining that the development was essential to fulfill housing objectives. However, he later retraced the decision in mid-September, accepting the misjudgment and speediness of the process.
Despite Premier Ford’s reversal of the development decision, the significant review of the Greenbelt may still proceed, in line with the previously mandated hundreds of applications for land removal by the past government.
While the ongoing investigation may impact future actions concerning the Greenbelt, the new housing minister, Paul Calandra, has advised reporters of the forthcoming Greenbelt legislation on Oct. 16, cementing the boundaries.
The Premier’s Office made a statement affirming their absolute cooperation with the investigation, and restating their zero tolerance policy towards misconduct. However, they refrained from further comment, respecting the police’s process.
In response to the investigation, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles expressed hopes that the government wouldn’t use the situation to deflect from addressing public questions about the Greenbelt. She also wanted the Premier to respond directly to the questions of Ontarians.
Likewise, interim Liberal Leader of Ontario, John Fraser, expressed skepticism about the scenario, suggesting that a scandal of this magnitude leads directly to the Premier’s office. He added that not a dime of taxpayer funds should be utilized on attorneys for anyone embroiled in the scandal, whether staff or elected officials. Premier Ford, on his part, stated that despite the Greenbelt decision having been enacted for the right reasons, it was rushed through, demonstrating how even well-intentioned actions can go wrong.
