Evidence shows someone was tipped off about Greenbelt opening for development: NDP

The Ontario NDP has shared what it considers evidence that someone had been tipped off about part of the Greenbelt being opened for development before the Ford government made the formal announcement.

“There’s deep concern about it and also a really deep sense that there’s something shady or something smells fishy,” said Marit Stiles, incoming NDP leader, during a press conference.

The provincial government revealed on Nov. 4, 2022 that 7,400 acres of land would be removed from the Greenbelt and converted into housing developments.

It was later revealed that some developers had bought parts of this land just weeks before the government’s announcement.

Members of the government, including Housing Minister Steve Clark, have previously denied tipping anyone off ahead of time, but the NDP said new Freedom of Information Act (FOI) documents prove that’s not true.

One of those proposed areas to be removed from the Greenbelt removals was in King Township.

On November 7, King Township unanimously passed a motion moved by Mayor Pellegrini endorsing the use of these lands.

The motion indicated, “The landowner is committed to providing the necessary lands for the Southlake Regional Health Centre site for a nominal fee.”

The NDP say this land was sold on Sept. 15, 2022 by Schickedanz Bros. to Green Lane Bathurst GP, a company controlled by Michael Rice of the Rice Group. The listing described the then-protected Greenbelt property as a “prime land banking opportunity.”

FOI documents from King Township, presented by the NDP, said, “The commitment of a nominal fee for the hospital lands was conveyed verbally to Mayor Pellegrini during an in-person meeting with Rice Group and Southlake Representatives on Nov. 1, 2022,” three days before the government’s announcement.

“It is evident that King Township did know about the removal of this land from the Greenbelt and did discuss this information with representatives of the Rice Group prior to the Nov. 4 announcement,” said the NDP.

The mayor of King Township denied those allegations in an interview with CityNews.

“At no time did I ever ask the Premier or Minister Clark to remove lands from the Greenbelt,” said Pellegrini. “In fact, if the leader of the NDP did any homework and had the courtesy to ask us, they would have seen that we had resolutions from council not to remove lands from the Greenbelt.”

The information is contained in a letter to the Integrity Commissioner who is already looking into a complaint from the NDP on this matter.

The NDP contend the housing minister was not honest when Clark said no one was tipped off about the sale during Question Period in the legislature.

A spokesperson for Minister Clark told CityNews no one from the province was present at this alleged meeting nor was “anyone notified prior to the decision that their lands would be removed from the Greenbelt.”

“Several of the proposed sites have also been part of longstanding efforts by municipalities to spur much-needed housing development. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is in receipt of correspondence from the Township of King that supports the proposed location of the new Southlake Regional Health Centre,” read the rest of the statement.

The Ford government has previously denied any wrongdoing on this issue and said the move to allow development is necessary to reach its goal of building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years.