Ford's Conservatives block Greenbelt reversal

QUEEN’S PARK – Despite promising Ontarians that they will restore the removed lands back into the Greenbelt, Ford's corrupt Conservatives blocked the Greenbelt Restoration Act in the Legislature this afternoon.

Official Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles introduced legislation that would restore protection for the Greenbelt lands by reversing the Conservatives’ changes, giving them the opportunity to stick to their word.

“Ontarians have had enough of his broken promises. The Premier needs to stick to his word,” said Stiles.

Stiles’ legislation would have:

• Repeal the Ford Conservatives’ 2022 Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Repeal Act and restore provisions in the DRAP Act, 2005.
• Amend the 2001 Oak Ridges Conservation Act so lands the Ford Conservatives removed from the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan by regulation are a part of the Oak Ridges Moraine Area and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan.
• Amend the Greenbelt Act, 2005 to protect the lands that the Ford government removed by regulation in 2022.
• It would also have helped mitigate any potential liabilities that the government may incur through the change in policy.

"People don't trust this government to fix a mess of their own creation. Who knows how many loopholes they will sneak into any legislation they table.

After lying to Ontarians about never touching the Greenbelt and a year-long corruption scandal, the government needs to stop wasting time and get serious about addressing the crises people are facing in our province.

This would be a step in the right direction, allowing our province to move on and ensure protection for the Greenbelt lands removed by Ford’s $8.3 billion cash-for-access corruption scheme, but the Ford Conservatives are not interested in getting it done.”