Schreiner: Fight for the Greenbelt far from over

August 14, 2023

QUEEN'S PARK — Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to news that the Office of the Integrity Commissioner has received a request to investigate whether the Housing Minister’s Chief of Staff contravened the Public Service of Ontario Act in deciding which lands to remove from the Greenbelt.

“Yesterday, a bombshell report from Ontario’s Auditor General confirmed what we’ve known all along about the Ford government’s Greenbelt giveaway.

For five years, this government has favoured wealthy insiders at the expense of everyday Ontarians.

The Premier and his cabinet have demonstrated a complete lack of respect for Ontarians – a willingness to break all the rules when an elite insider comes calling, leaving the rest of us to foot the bill.

This fight is far from over. Ontario Greens are calling for the following measures to redress the harms committed by the Ford government:

• A commitment from the Ford government to accept the Auditor General’s recommendation to reverse their 2022 decision to alter Greenbelt boundaries;
• The resignation of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and his chief of staff;
• An OPP investigation into whether there was any criminal activity by members of the Ford government; and
• An investigation by the Integrity Commissioner into whether the Housing Minister’s Chief of Staff acted in contravention of the Public Service of Ontario Act.

Ontario Greens stand with the millions of Ontarians who are outraged at the Ford government’s actions to benefit elite insiders. We will continue fighting to restore accountability, transparency and trust to the public.”

-30-