We’ve been following reporting on the Auditor General’s inquest into the Greenbelt land swap in Ontario. Many are concerned with this decision as well as the established precedence. Starting to carve away something that was to be held sacred for the benefit of all citizens, but now for the profit of few, is disheartening.
The Greenbelt in Ontario was created in 2005 to permanently protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands from development and covers some 810,000 hectares in area of farmland, forest and wetlands from Niagara Falls to Peterborough. It is still not enough.
Almost 83 per cent of the area being removed from the Greenbelt in this swap is Class 1-3 prime agricultural land.
Bonnie Lysyk, Ontario’s Auditor General presented a 93-page report on findings from their probe into the decision and the process. She presented a scathing view on the land swap, the process and involvement of government officials in the deal. The facts support the conclusions. This year more than ever Canadians know where there is smoke, there is fire.
Ms. Lysyk has a lot of courage going to bat for the citizens of Ontario over this issue. Her direct, brutally honest approach is refreshing.
Auditors and politicians both have roles to play, just sometimes I wish politicians could be more like Auditors (but not vice versa).
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