Five municipalities in Ontario are still awaiting reimbursement promised by Premier Doug Ford’s government for expenses related to the Greenbelt controversy. The delay in fulfilling the pledge 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, the cities and towns, including Durham Region, Pickering, Grimsby, Guelph, and Wellington County, claim they are owed approximately $850,000 for lost staff time, legal fees, and consulting expenses dating back to September 2024. These costs were incurred due to Ford’s initial decision to allow development in parts of the Greenbelt in 2022, followed by a subsequent reversal of the decision.
A briefing note prepared for senior civil servants and the former Minister of Municipal Affairs Paul Calandra reiterated the government’s commitment to assisting impacted municipalities with planning and staffing costs related to the Greenbelt issue. However, despite the minister’s statement in October 2023, no reimbursement decision has been made, and there has been a lack of proactive outreach from the ministry to solicit cost submissions from municipalities.
The Greenbelt controversy, which began in 2022 with the government’s announcement to remove 15 pieces of land from the protected area for development, has been under scrutiny. The auditor general and integrity commissioner found flaws in the land selection process, benefitting certain developers. The estimated rise in land value for owners affected by the Greenbelt changes was $8.3 billion.
Although Ford reversed the decision in September 2023 following public backlash, the promised reimbursements to municipalities, including Durham Region, Pickering, Grimsby, Guelph, and Wellington County, have not materialized. Despite commitments made by the government, communities are yet to receive compensation for costs incurred due to the Greenbelt reversal.
Opposition leaders have criticized the government for failing to fulfill its promise of reimbursing municipalities, accusing them of unfairly shifting financial burdens onto local taxpayers. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner and NDP municipal affairs critic Jeff Burch have called for the province to honor its commitment and pay back the municipalities for the costs they have borne. Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser emphasized the importance of fulfilling obligations and restoring trust by promptly reimbursing the affected communities.
The unresolved reimbursement issue continues to be a point of contention, with community representatives highlighting the financial strain caused by the delayed payments and underscoring the need for the province to fulfill its commitments.