The Greenbelt Report proves Doug Ford is all about Cronyism & Corruption: Land grabs, privatization, personal gain, preferential treatment… you name it.
Greenbelt: The largest of the government’s policy reversals this year was a backtrack of its decision to open up parcels of the protected Greenbelt lands for housing development. Ford apologized for removing the lands in the first place, after both the auditor general and integrity commissioner found the process unfairly favoured certain developers. The RCMP is now investigating. Ford’s government passed a law earlier this month to cement his reversal and enshrine Greenbelt protections in law.
The Greenbelt report proves it: The Ford government is corrupt
After the auditor general’s explosive Greenbelt report, resignations and further investigations are the only way to restore some sense of integrity
If there was ever a doubt that corruption is a constitutive element of Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government, Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s report into its dodgy Greenbelt dealings ought to put that uncertainty to rest. Indeed, the government is something more than corrupt. There’s corruption. There’s utter corruption. And then there’s funnelling more than $8 billion to your developer buddies and party donors through land swaps in the bright light of day and expecting to get away with it.
The Ford government’s Greenbelt plan has been a scandal since day one. Anyone paying the least bit of attention could have told you that. Anyone inclined to believe their eyes and their ears and the screams of their own minds could have told you that. The government sought to sell off choice bits of the Greenbelt to developers for housing development — a non-solution to a very real problem. Yes, there’s a housing crisis in Ontario. But promoting sprawl, gutting a protected environmental zone, and putting crucial farmland at risk were never going to be the fix (especially since the Greenbelt development isn’t necessary to meet the province’s housing goals, as the AG now confirms). The whole thing has thrown up red flags at every step.
One Year Later: Exposing the Corruption Behind Ford’s Greenbelt Scandal
A year ago, the Auditor General’s Greenbelt report exposed the corruption and favoritism that Doug Ford’s government tried to keep hidden. From the start, Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP were at the forefront, fighting for justice and transparency.
Time and time again, from his first campaign in 2018, Doug Ford promised Ontarians that he would never touch the Greenbelt. But he broke that promise, betraying the trust of every Ontarian.
In June 2022, Ford’s office directed Housing Minister Steve Clark to make sweeping changes to the Greenbelt. We immediately recognized the danger and pushed back. At a private dinner, developers secretly handed envelopes to Clark’s office, requesting specific land removals. Just three weeks later, a small, secretive team pushed through these changes, with criteria conveniently altered to favor those developers. We knew something was wrong and demanded answers.
We filed the first complaint with the Auditor General in November 2022, raising concerns about the shift of wealth to these landowners, and we didn’t stop there. We called for a value-for-money audit, highlighted the suspicious timing of land purchases, and filed multiple complaints with the Integrity Commissioner. We exposed the web of insider deals, including how 92% of the removed land came directly from developer requests. What was once Greenbelt land worth $240M skyrocketed to $8.3B due to these corrupt practices.
Through relentless opposition, we kept the pressure on Ford’s government, leading to the resignation of three ministers and a significant drop in Ford’s approval ratings. It was our persistence, along with public outcry, that finally forced Ford to reverse his decision. But the fight isn’t over.
Now, with rumors of an early election growing louder, it’s time to unite and strengthen Ontario’s only grassroots-driven progressive movement. Let’s make sure we’re ready to defeat Doug Ford and build the Ontario you deserve, whenever he calls the next election.
Comment on Proposal to return lands to the Greenbelt – Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Doug Ford is corrupt…
Doug Ford is a corrupt grifter. The process in which lands have been removed is shameful and he should go to JAIL. For him to say no one gives two hoots about this, for him to say the greenbelt is a scam, no sir the only scam is his PC government. I want the greenbelt protected. I pray that the RCMP lock this man up.
Cronyism and corruption: The case for an investigation into Doug Ford’s policies
Since 1969, the Ontario Science Centre has stood as a beacon of educational enrichment and a beloved landmark. However, recent decisions by Premier Doug Ford have cast a shadow over its future. Known for its connections to influential developers and a history of prioritising private interests, Ford’s policies have repeatedly raised ethical concerns. The closure of the Centre forms part of a broader narrative of cronyism and corruption, exemplified by questionable land acquisitions and infrastructure projects benefiting those close to Ford.
Land grabs
Five years ago, the De Gasperis family, influential developers with close ties to Ford, purchased over 60 acres adjacent to the Science Centre. Shortly thereafter, Ford announced that the Ontario Line subway’s final stop would be at the Science Centre, significantly increasing the value of nearby land. The De Gasperis family, whose business empire includes the TACC Group and is worth an estimated $1.67 billion, owns substantial land adjacent to the Centre.
This pattern of potentially benefiting from insider knowledge has raised concerns about the family’s economic dynasty. They previously acquired land along the proposed route of the controversial Highway 413 and were implicated in the Greenbelt scandal of November 2022, which saw the Ford government propose to open parts of the Greenbelt—a 2-million-acre protected area—for development, sparking immediate backlash. Environmental groups, municipal leaders, and the public feared it would jeopardise the region’s ecological integrity. Several developers, including the De Gasperis family, had acquired land within the Greenbelt prior to the announcement, raising suspicions of insider trading and undue influence.
Adding fuel to the fire, Ford’s recent announcement to close the Ontario Science Centre and repurpose its property has sparked significant controversy. A third-party report by Rimkus Consulting Group, cited by Ford’s administration to justify the closure, concluded that several roof panels were in a “distressed, high-risk condition” and could fail under snow load during the winter. However, the report recommended substantial repairs rather than immediate closure—a point emphasised by Moriyama Teshima Architects, who offered their services pro bono to keep the Centre operational. Ford has not responded to this offer, further raising concerns that the timing of the closure and the repurposing of the property once again appear to benefit the De Gasperis family.
Privatization, personal gain, and preferential treatment
Ford’s plan to privatise liquor sales in Ontario further exemplifies a policy that claims to serve the public interest but instead imposes significant costs on taxpayers. The privatisation initiative is projected to burden taxpayers with over $600 million in expenses to the privately-owned Beer Store, including a direct payout of $225 million and an additional $375 million in fees that the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) will have to rebate to brewers. This financial strain prompts questions about who truly benefits from such policies. Additionally, it jeopardises the livelihoods of approximately 10,000 LCBO employees, whose job security is threatened by the transition to allow ready-to-drink cocktails to be sold in grocery and convenience stores—a concerning development at a time when recent data from Food Banks Canada indicates that nearly 25% of Canadians may be living in poverty.
The suspicion that Premier Ford’s privatisation agenda is driven by personal financial interests gains further credence when examining his family’s business dealings. Ford’s family owns Deco Labels and Tags, a label-making company involved in packaging for beer and other products. Deco Labels’ website claims it is a “preferred printer” for major grocery chains like Loblaws, Metro, and Sobeys. The intertwining of Ford’s political decisions and his family’s business interests cannot be overlooked.
Further entangling private gains with public resources, Ford’s recent sale of his U.S. Deco stake to Resource Label Group LLC, which was subsequently acquired by Ares Management, suggests another potentially profitable network. Notably, Edelfried J. Balle, the CEO of Therme Group—a company awarded a $650 million public funds contract—hails from Ares Management. This connection underscores the troubling pattern where private profits come at the expense of public resources.
A $650 million public funds contract awarded to Therme Group for constructing a spa and wellness centre highlights concerns regarding Premier Ford’s privatisation efforts. Critics have raised issues about the deal’s lack of transparency and Ford’s refusal to disclose pertinent information. Furthermore, the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, which details the redevelopment plan, grants special powers to the provincial minister and exempts the project from key environmental assessments. This transaction, seen as a handout to a luxury spa project at Ontario Place, diverts essential public funds from critical areas such as healthcare and education in a province where over 1.3 million residents lack access to a family physician, and health policy experts continue to call for increased medical residency capacity.
Moreover, the involvement of Mr. Balle, formerly with the construction firm Strabag, which Ford selected to build the Scarborough Subway tunnels, further underscores the pattern of preferential treatment and potential conflicts of interest. Strabag’s partial ownership by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who is under federal sanctions due to his alleged ties with the Putin government, adds another layer of controversy to the proceedings.
Cronyism and corruption
In light of these disturbing patterns, it is clear that Premier Doug Ford’s decisions are steeped in a web of cronyism and corruption that prioritises private profits over the public interest. The De Gasperis family’s acquisitions near key infrastructure projects and protected lands, coupled with Ford’s administration’s strategic announcements, paint a damning picture of insider trading and undue influence. The closure of the Ontario Science Centre and the lucrative contracts awarded to connected entities underscore the shady manoeuvres that benefit a select few at the expense of Ontario’s taxpayers. Ford’s controversial policies—from the Greenbelt scandal to the privatisation of liquor sales and the opaque deals surrounding Ontario Place—reveal a troubling pattern of governance that sacrifices environmental integrity, public trust, and fiscal responsibility.
Although the RCMP is already investigating allegations of insider trading and undue influence in the Ford administration’s Greenbelt development decisions, and Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner is examining ethical violations and potential conflicts of interest related to land use changes, we need a thorough third-party investigation by the Ontario Ombudsman to ensure transparency and accountability.
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