QUEEN’S PARK — Ontarians believe that Doug Ford wants to chop up the Greenbelt, because he’s told them so many times.
 

• In February 2018, Ford assured his insider land baron friends that he would open up the Greenbelt to development in a backroom meeting, captured on video. Ford called the Greenbelt “just farmer fields” and said that he wanted to “open that up and create a larger supply” of land for development. “I’ve already talked to some of the biggest developers in the country, and, again, I wish I could say it’s my idea, but it was their idea as well,” said Ford.

• In January 2019, Ford tried again to punch holes in the Greenbelt in Bill 66, a massive deregulation bill in which Ford buried incentives for developers to pave over the Greenbelt.

• In December 2020, the Ford government stripped power from Conservation Authorities, gutting environmental protections. Nearly the entire Greenbelt Council resigned in protest, saying that the changes put the Greenbelt at risk.

Ford’s been saying for years he can just replace land taken out of the Greenbelt by designating some other land as Greenbelt land.
 
Now, in 2021, Ford is planning to build a superhighway, with widespread opposition, that slashes through the Greenbelt.
 
Across the province, Ontarians are standing up for a clean environment, greenspace, local agriculture and food, and nature for future generations to enjoy. 
 
“No Ontarians believe Doug Ford when he talks about the Greenbelt,” said Sandy Shaw, Official Opposition Environment critic.