Five municipalities in Ontario are still waiting for the provincial government to fulfill its promise of reimbursing them for expenses related to the Greenbelt scandal, despite the commitment made by Premier Doug Ford’s administration years ago. This delay has drawn criticism from opposition Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) who accuse the Progressive Conservatives of shifting the financial burden onto local taxpayers.
According to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request by CBC News, these communities, including Durham Region, Pickering, Grimsby, Guelph, and Wellington County, claim they are owed approximately $850,000 for lost staff time, legal fees, and consulting costs stemming from Ford’s initial decision to open parts of the Greenbelt for development in 2022 and subsequent reversal of this decision a year later.
A briefing note addressed to senior civil servants and former Minister of Municipal Affairs Paul Calandra confirmed the community requests and reiterated the minister’s commitment to assist with planning and staffing costs incurred by the municipalities. However, there has been a lack of proactive outreach from the ministry to solicit cost submissions, and no decision has been made regarding reimbursement.
Opposition critics, including Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner and NDP municipal affairs critic Jeff Burch, have condemned the government for reneging on its promise to reimburse the municipalities, likening it to downloading financial responsibilities onto local taxpayers. They emphasize the importance of honoring commitments and providing financial support to municipalities facing budget challenges.
Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser has called on the province to promptly repay the outstanding amounts, emphasizing that the issue is not about the money itself but about the government’s integrity in fulfilling its obligations. The affected municipalities, which have incurred significant costs due to the Greenbelt controversy, await the fulfillment of the promised reimbursements.
