Doug Ford's housing minister apologizes to developers for Greenbelt fiasco

His candour stunned some in the audience given that the entire debacle stems from an apparent cosiness between Ford's government and developers.

Thestar.com
Dec. 12, 2023
Robert Benzie

Premier Doug Ford’s new housing minister has apologized to developers for the government's "mistakes" in the Greenbelt scandal that is now under RCMP investigation.

In a speech to hundreds of builders last week, Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra repeatedly said "sorry" for the problems the $8.28-billion fiasco has caused the industry -- especially Greenbelt landowner Silvio De Gasperis.

His candour stunned some in the audience given that the entire debacle stems from an apparent cosiness between Ford's Progressive Conservatives and wealthy, politically connected developers. Calandra was brought in by Ford to clean up the Greenbelt mess.

"I think the failures that have happened over the last number of months aren't a failing of your industry," Calandra said Dec. 6 at the Building Industry and Land Development Association’s (BILD) annual general meeting luncheon in Woodbridge.

"It's a failing of government -- as how we have put together the things that we have wanted to accomplish," he said, conceding the Tories only have themselves to blame.

"The speed at which we moved -- and the inability of us to bring people with us -- is what has caused the challenges over the last number of months and we will not repeat those mistakes going forward."

In August, the auditor general and the integrity commissioner found certain developers were “favoured” in the 7,400-acre (2,995-hectare) land swap that an embattled Ford finally cancelled in September.

Of those 7,400 acres of land that were slated to be removed from the Greenbelt for development, 4,320 acres (1,748 hectares) of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area properties are owned or co-owned by companied controlled by De Gasperis.

Calandra took over from ex-minister Steve Clark in September. Kaleed Rasheed was removed from Ford's cabinet that month over the scandal and two top Tory aides have also stepped down.

In his Woodbridge speech, Calandra delivered a heartfelt, personal apology to De Gasperis.

"Let me start by saying I'm sorry. I do truly understand how difficult the last few months have been for each and every one of you in the room," said Calandra.

"It has been a challenging time for us -- and I think it has been an even more challenging time for many of you. I am sincerely sorry for the difficulties we have caused you and the industry over the last number of months," the minister told developers from the dais.

"I've never met him to be honest, but if Mr. De Gasperis is here ... there he is, let me just say this ... I am particularly sorry for how you and many of you have been cast," he said, pointing to their shared Italian heritage.

"I am extremely proud of what you have accomplished and what all of you have accomplished. Building homes should not be something that you are ashamed of and we're going to support you and make sure that that narrative changes," said Calandra.

"So to you, sir, I'm very sorry," he said, adding "I'm sorry that we've never met."

Neil Wilson, a lawyer for De Gasperis and his company TACC Developments, said in an email Monday that the prominent developer appreciated Calandra’s apology.

“In particular, his comments on how Mr. De Gasperis and TACC have been misrepresented," he said.

But Wilson said De Gasperis remains “deeply disappointed” in the government’s decision to return the Cherrywood lands -- a 4,288-acre swath within Pickering’s Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve -- to the Greenbelt, which prevented the construction of 30,000 homes.

“The loss of the Cherrywood Community represents a missed opportunity to address the need for housing supply and affordability, while delivering extensive community benefits and infrastructure at zero cost to taxpayers.”

Noting De Gasperis has owned the land since 2002 -- three years before the Greenbelt was created -- Wilson said TACC has formally requested, through the public consultation process, that the government reconsider its decision.

Since taking over from Clark three months ago, Calandra has been given carte blanche by Ford to clean up a troubled department.

The new minister enshrined in law Greenbelt protections, scrapped his predecessor's unilateral changes to a dozen municipalities' official plans and has been reviewing minister's zoning orders that override local planning decisions.

As first disclosed by the Star last week, he and Ford are also poised to cancel a plan to dissolve Peel Region and make Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon stand-alone municipalities amid concerns taxes might rise and -- services may suffer.

Still, Calandra's comments -- and the forum in which he made them -- surprised some attendees at the BILD luncheon.

"The talk since the meeting has been, 'What the hell was he doing?' Because it makes it look like the government and the development industry are in bed together, which they are not," said one guest, who spoke confidentially in order to recount the speech.

According to the auditor general, it was at a BILD gala in the same Paramount Eventspace venue on Sept. 14, 2022 that landowners discussed the Greenbelt with Clark's then-chief of staff, Ryan Amato, who has since stepped down from government.

Two months ago, the RCMP's Sensitive and International Investigations unit launched an investigation into “allegations associated to the decision from the province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development.”