Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Saviolo

(3,280 posts)
Tue Sep 10, 2019, 11:02 AM Sep 2019

Doug Ford government held talks with PC donor on removing Greenbelt land

Full article here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-greenbelt-housing-vaughan-milani-rizmi-developer-1.5263980

The Ontario government spent nearly a year in talks with a developer about a pitch to build housing in the province's Greenbelt, despite Premier Doug Ford's promise not to touch the protected area, CBC News has learned. The discussions involved a 60-hectare property in the northeastern corner of Vaughan. The land is owned by a family whose members have donated more than $100,000 to the Progressive Conservative party in recent years, including to Ford's 2018 leadership bid.

Documents obtained by CBC News show that shortly after Ford took power, landowner Lucia Milani of Rizmi Holdings approached the provincial government with the aim of getting the property's protected status lifted.

"Rizmi has advised that they will seek residential uses ... of their land holdings," says a briefing document the ministry official prepared for Clark last December.

Tim Gray, executive director of the group Environmental Defence, reviewed the government documents and said they indicate the Ford government was "moving to allow this land to be removed from the Greenbelt." The government was "under no obligation whatsoever" to take any action on the developer's request, said Gray in an interview with CBC News.

"They should have said 'Go away, it's a protected natural area,'" said Gray. "Now is the time to stop the process, make it very clear to the developer that this land is going to stay protected within the Greenbelt and it will not become a subdivision."


The grift is strong with Dougie. He lies as easily as Trump does.
Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Canada»Doug Ford government held...