ALGOMA-MANITOULIN—Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha is not surprised the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is going to be carrying out an investigation into the Ontario government’s Greenbelt land swap.
“Yes, the RCMP is carrying out an investigation. This is not surprising based on the decisions the government has made on this and other issues,” stated MPP Mantha. “This has been a pattern on the decision making by the province.”
“There are several questions that need to be answered with ongoing questions from the public and the need for the government to provide the information that people have been seeking,” said MPP Mantha. “And it will allow information to come forward that people are asking for and allow the decisions being made by this government to be scrutinized and how they got where they are with the lands that had originally been taken from the Greenbelt.”
The RCMP said on Tuesday of last week that its “sensitive and international investigations” unit is leading the investigation.
As has been previously reported, the province had removed 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt last year as part of its initiative to build 1.5 million homes by 2031, while adding land elsewhere. The land swap triggered a public outcry and investigations from two legislative watchdogs.
In January the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced it was working to determine whether it should investigate and in August they referred the issue to the RCMP out of concerns about a perceived conflict of interest.
On October 11 the RCMP announced an investigation into the Greenbelt land swap has been initiated. “Following a referral from the (OPP), the RCMP O Division’s Sensitive and International Investigations unit has now launched an investigation into allegations associated to the decision from the province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development,” Corporal Christy Veenstra wrote in a statement. No further details will be released to protect the integrity of the investigation.
Canadian Press reported that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s office says the government will work with the RCMP. “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,” it wrote in the statement. “Out of respect for the police and their process, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
Premier Ford has said previously he is confident nothing criminal took place.
Two legislative watchdogs examining the provincial land swap found the process to select the lands removed from the Greenbelt was flawed and favoured certain developers.
Ontario Integrity Commissioner found Steve Clark, the province’s housing minister at the time, violated ethics rules. Mr. Clark resigned shortly thereafter as did another cabinet minister, Kaleed Rashed, soon afterwards.
Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, in another report, found the developers stood to see their land value increase by $8.3 billion with the land swap.
The Premier subsequently apologized for the decision and actions taken by the government and announced last month that all 15 parcels of land removed would all now be returned to the Greenbelt.
Opposition parties have all voiced their support of the RCMP investigation.
