Homebuilding stakeholders kept a low profile in the aftermath of Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s damning report on the Doug Ford government’s decision to remove 15 sites from Greenbelt protection in December 2022.
Lysyk said Aug. 9 the landowners could potentially reap $8.3 billion in added value from the decision. Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark admitted the review process was flawed but have refused to reverse the designation of the 7,400 acres.
Lysyk highlighted a Building Industry and Land Development Association’s (BILD) Chair’s Dinner held in September at which Clark’s chief of staff Ryan Amato sat with two prominent developers and received packages containing information on sites they proposed be removed from the Greenbelt.
“Direct access to the housing minister’s chief of staff resulted in certain prominent developers receiving preferential treatment,” Lysyk wrote.
“Altogether, those who had access to the chief of staff at the September BILD event ended up with land removals that accounted for 6,784 acres, or 92 per cent of the 7,412.64 acres ultimately removed from the Greenbelt in December 2022.”
A BILD spokesperson offered a brief comment on behalf of the association.
“BILD, like all other associations, routinely holds events to provide networking, recognition and educational opportunities for its membership and the building and development community at large.”
“BILD fully complied with the auditor general’s information requests and is compliant with all provincial and municipal requirements pertaining to lobbying registry and disclosure.”
One of the developers benefiting from the process was TACC Developments. Lysyk noted TACC refused to answer her questions.
TACC’s legal counsel said in a statement to the Canadian Press that there’s “no way of knowing the value of the land at this point in time, as there are significant costs to develop the land, which will be paid by the developers.”
“The TACC Group is one of the few developers with the breadth of experience, knowledge and resources, as well as the land, to build complete and environmentally responsible communities to meet Ontario’s housing needs,” the lawyer stated.
Other stakeholders in the homebuilding sector declined to offer comments to the Daily Commercial News.
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