Amidst a growing corruption scandal, Doug Ford reversed his decision to open a portion of the Greenbelt to developers last week. Ford has been under fire for opening the Greenbelt decision since late 2022. The reversal comes after nearly a year of pressure from the public as well as within the government. Ford’s capitulation demonstrates the power of collective action and shows the Conservatives are a government in crisis.
What is the Greenbelt?
The Greenbelt is about 2 million acres of protected land in the Golden Horseshoe. Legal protections were first imposed on these lands in 2005 to safeguard critical agricultural areas, forests, wetlands, rivers, and lakes. The Greenbelt plays an important role in maintaining clean air and water, preventing flooding, and providing habitats for wildlife. Restricting urban sprawl was also a major consideration.
Ever since the legislation was passed in February 2005, opposition from developers, Conservatives, and farmers has stirred controversy. In 2018, Doug Ford privately promised developers that he would open up that land for homebuilding, but quickly promised the public that the land would remain untouched. In November of last year, he changed course again and announced that 7,400 acres of Greenbelt land would now be open to development.
The scandal, which involved a mysterious trip to Las Vegas and a meeting in a massage parlour, threw the government into chaos and resulted directly in three cabinet resignations and a substantial cabinet reshuffle. The RCMP may launch an investigation. Although the full details of the scandal remain unknown, it is obvious that there was blatant corruption.
The Greenbelt: Scapegoat for the housing crisis
After offering a seemingly heartfelt apology during a press conference last week, Doug Ford claimed that he opened the Greenbelt to development “for the right reasons” and “with the best of intentions,” but that his actions had been misguided.
This apology echoes Ford’s persistent claim that the Greenbelt is needed to build affordable housing. In other instances, Ford called the Greenbelt “a big scam,” and “a failed policy from the Liberal government,” and reiterated that Ontarians need at least some of those protected lands for housing.
This rationale is not original. Conservatives and developers who have repeatedly opposed other attempts to build affordable housing claim that protecting the Greenbelt is fueling the housing crisis by driving up prices. In reality, there is enough land surrounding the city to build housing for decades to come. In 2017, the Mayor of Oakville called the real estate market a “cartel economy” and pointed out ample land that had been made available to developers but not used. We don’t have a housing supply crisis. We have a free-market housing crisis that puts profits before people.
These attempts to scapegoat the Greenbelt for the GTA’s housing crisis shift all blame towards the Liberals who initiated the legislation and absolve developers of any responsibility for high housing costs. Furthermore, Ford’s false claims that he was only trying to do the right thing by developing the Greenbelt pander to widespread desperation for affordable housing while simultaneously glossing over his corrupt deals with developers.
Pressure through solidarity
Ontario’s auditor general found that the developers waiting to build on Greenbelt lands would have made billions. The integrity commissioner also found that former housing minister Steve Clark made ethical violations in the Greenbelt land swap. There is no doubt that Ford’s decision to open the Greenbelt served the interests of developers at the expense of the environment and the greater public good.
Alongside the auditor general and the integrity commissioner, First Nations leaders have called for a criminal investigation into the Greenbelt scandal. Additionally, Ontarians rallied around the cause to save the Greenbelt, putting pressure on Ford’s government to reverse the decision through protests and campaigns.
Like his defeat over Bill 28, Ford’s Greenbelt reversal shows that the Conservatives can be beaten. People across Ontario have been protesting against Ford’s Greenbelt stance for months, and this is how we can take on the Tories. Ford and his government are in crisis – and the climb down over the Greenbelt won’t make that fact go away. Years of dirty dealings with lobbyists and attacks on workers has gutted this government’s popularity. We need to continue the fight in the streets if we want to beat Ford and his big business buddies.
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