{"id":21085,"date":"2023-08-23T15:27:52","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T22:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/rcmp-evaluating-greenbelt-info-for-potential-probe-after-referral-from-opp\/"},"modified":"2023-08-23T15:27:53","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T22:27:53","slug":"rcmp-evaluating-greenbelt-info-for-potential-probe-after-referral-from-opp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/rcmp-evaluating-greenbelt-info-for-potential-probe-after-referral-from-opp\/","title":{"rendered":"RCMP evaluating Greenbelt info for potential probe after referral from OPP"},"content":{"rendered":"

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TORONTO \u2014 The RCMP says it has started to look into a potential investigation related to the Progressive Conservative government\u2019s removal of some areas from the protected\u00a0Greenbelt\u00a0lands for housing development.<\/p>\n

The Ontario Provincial Police said in a statement early today that it had received a number of inquiries regarding a\u00a0Greenbelt\u00a0investigation.<\/p>\n

The provincial police force said it referred the matter to the RCMP to avoid what it called \u201cany potential perceived conflict of interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The RCMP now confirms that it is beginning an \u201cevaluation of the available information\u201d as referred by the OPP and after conducting a full assessment, the Mounties will determine whether to launch an investigation.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking to reporters at an unrelated news conference today, declined to comment on the potential investigation, but said while there is a need for more housing, he doesn\u2019t think \u201cthat the only solution is to build on protected lands.\u201d<\/p>\n

News of the potential police probe comes a day after the resignation of the chief of staff to the Municipal Affairs and Housing minister who was at the centre of a damning Ontario auditor general\u2019s report into the government\u2019s decision to open up parts of the protected area.<\/p>\n

The report found that all but one of the 15 sites ultimately removed from the\u00a0Greenbelt\u00a0last year were suggested not by civil servants, but by Minister Steve Clark\u2019s chief of staff Ryan Amato, who was given packages at an industry event by two key developers.<\/p>\n

The OPP said at the time of the report\u2019s release that there was no change in status to its ongoing review into the matter by its anti-rackets branch.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s statement, the OPP says it was not appropriate to provide further comment, \u201cin order to protect the integrity of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2023 The Canadian Press<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n