Five municipalities in Ontario, which Premier Doug Ford’s government committed to compensating for expenses related to the Greenbelt controversy, are still waiting for the Progressive Conservatives to fulfill their promise years later. This delay has drawn criticism from opposition MPPs, who accuse the government of shifting the financial burden onto local taxpayers in these communities.
According to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request by CBC News, as of September 2024, the cities and towns claimed they were owed around $850,000 for lost staff hours, legal fees, and consulting costs. These costs arose from Ford’s initial decision to allow development in parts of the Greenbelt in 2022, followed by his subsequent reversal of the decision nearly a year later.
A briefing note intended for senior civil servants and then-Minister of Municipal Affairs Paul Calandra reiterated the commitment made a year earlier to assist municipalities with planning and staffing costs resulting from the Greenbelt decision. However, the document revealed that the ministry had not actively sought cost submissions from the affected municipalities, and no decision had been made regarding reimbursement.
The Greenbelt issue has been a contentious topic for the Ford government since 2022, when it proposed exchanging 15 pieces of land within the protected area for development. Subsequent reports found flaws in the selection process and favored certain developers, leading to a significant increase in land values. In response to public outcry, Ford reversed the decision in September 2023, prompting ongoing investigations.
Despite assurances from Calandra that municipalities would be compensated for expenses related to the Greenbelt reversal, communities such as Durham Region, Pickering, Grimsby, Guelph, and Wellington County have confirmed they have not received reimbursement. While some funds were allocated for new housing projects, the promised reimbursements have not materialized for these municipalities.
Opposition critics, including Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner and NDP municipal affairs critic Jeff Burch, have condemned the government for failing to honor its commitment to repay the communities. They argue that municipalities should not bear the financial burden of the government’s missteps and emphasize the importance of fulfilling promises to local jurisdictions.
Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser criticized the government for reneging on its obligation to reimburse the municipalities, highlighting that the amount owed is minuscule in the context of the provincial budget. He emphasized the importance of integrity in fulfilling commitments made to communities and called for immediate action to rectify the situation.