Stiles’ crusade for accountability forces Conservatives to walk back controversial forced sprawl

QUEEN’S PARK – Leader of the Official Opposition NDP Marit Stiles’ crusade to clean up corruption and stop preferential treatment at Queen’s Park has forced Ford’s Conservatives to walk back yet another controversial policy changes that benefitted a select few Conservative insiders.

“This is a hard-fought victory for all of us, including Ontario’s municipalities, who have fought against this government’s nonsense approach to planning,” said Stiles. “Ontarians need homes they can afford. Expensive and unnecessary urban sprawl will only make life worse for those struggling, and line the pockets of wealthy land speculators—some of the very same land speculators who benefited from Ford’s Greenbelt grab.”

“This Premier and his government are mired in scandal because of their culture of corruption and preferential treatment,” Stiles continued. “From the Greenbelt Grab to urban boundary changes, to questionable MZOs, we’ve pulled back the curtain on a corrupt Conservative government all too comfortable making backroom deals at everyone else’s expense.”

“It should not take a criminal RCMP investigation to get some honesty and transparency from this government.”

Earlier today, Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, introduced legislation to reverse many – but not all – of the municipal boundary expansions after months of media reports showing clear preferential treatment involving recurring characters from the Greenbelt scandal, and a complete disregard for everyday Ontarians.