RCMP launching criminal probe into Doug Ford’s Greenbelt land swap

The RCMP has formally launched a criminal investigation into the Ford Government’s controversial Greenbelt land swap.

In a statement to CityNews, the RCMP says their International Investigations unit has opened an investigation “into allegations associated with the decision from the Province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development.”

“While we recognize that this investigation is of significant interest to Canadians, the RCMP has a duty to protect the integrity of the investigations that it carries out in order to ensure that the process leads to a fair and proper outcome. Therefore, no further updates will be provided at this time.”

#BREAKING – The RCMP have launched a criminal investigation into the Ford government Greenbelt Land swap. RCMP tell CityNews that its International Investigations (SII) unit has now launched an investigation.

— Richard Southern (@RichardCityNews) October 10, 2023

A statement from Premier Doug Ford’s office says the government will “fully cooperate with any investigation.”

“We have zero tolerance for any wrongdoing and expect anyone involved in the decision-making about the Greenbelt lands to have followed the letter of the law. Out of respect for the police and their process, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

In August, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said it would be up to the RCMP to decide if there would be a police investigation into Doug Ford’s plans to open up parts of the protected land for housing development.

Ford backtracked on the decision to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt in September. The government had made the land swap as part of its push to build 1.5 million homes across the province by 2031 but eventually decided to return the 15 parcels of land following almost a year of public outcry.

The premier has repeatedly said he is confident nothing criminal took place and has defended his government’s process. In a late August press conference, Ford got testy with reporters when asked if he would take responsibility for the aftermath.

Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk released a report in August that found more than 90 per cent of the land removed was in five sites passed on to then-housing minister Steve Clark’s chief of staff, Ryan Amato, by two developers Amato met at an industry event. The report found the property owners stood to net $8.3 billion as a result of the swap.

Clark and Amato both resigned in the wake of the report. Ontario’s new housing minister Paul Calandra has taken over the Greenbelt file.

Last month, the opposition leader Marit Stiles and the NDP asked the auditor general’s office to launch a new investigation of the government’s land-use policies by probing its expansion of some municipal boundaries.

With files from Richard Southern and The Canadian Press