QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Municipal Affairs critic Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre) and MPP Jessica Bell (University—Rosedale) released the following statement in response to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing’s announcement on changes to regional municipal governance:
“The Ford government has introduced yet another bill that will bulldoze local decision-making so Doug Ford can wield more power – all the while making it easier for Ford’s developer friends to get rich paving over the Greenbelt.
This legislation has nothing to do with solving the housing affordability crisis or building homes for real people. This bill is an affront to democracy. Doug Ford is giving himself permission to handpick regional council chairs and increase strong mayor powers even further.
If this government was truly interested in helping people find a home, it would commit to building more affordable homes for Ontarians, bringing in stronger rent control measures, building missing middle homes in existing neighbourhoods and clamping down on speculation.
And it would stop allowing critical farmland and green space to be paved over to line the pockets of wealthy developers and PC donors like Silvio De Gasperis.”
Ford’s latest bill an affront to democracy: NDP
Published on November 16, 2022