Former Ontario solicitor general calls for greater transparency as federal police decline to provide updates on the investigation launched in October 2023.
The RCMP investigation into Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s controversial $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap remains active nearly three years after it began, prompting renewed calls for transparency and accountability from a former provincial cabinet minister.
The federal police launched their investigation on October 10, 2023, following allegations of preferential treatment involving developers who stood to benefit from the Ontario government’s decision to remove environmentally protected land from the Greenbelt.
As the investigation approaches its third anniversary, former Ontario solicitor general Bob Runciman has criticized the RCMP for failing to provide meaningful public updates on its progress.
Runciman, who served as solicitor general under former premier Mike Harris, argued that the prolonged uncertainty is unfair both to Ontario residents and to individuals whose reputations have been affected by the controversy.
He said the federal police should clarify the investigation’s status and identify individuals who are no longer considered subjects of interest.
The Greenbelt controversy erupted after the Ford government approved the removal of approximately 7,400 acres of protected land across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to allow residential development.
The decision sparked widespread criticism following reports from Ontario’s auditor general and integrity commissioner in August 2023, which found that certain developers with connections to the Progressive Conservative government had received preferential treatment during the land selection process.
The controversy ultimately led to the departures of two provincial cabinet ministers and two senior political aides, all of whom have denied wrongdoing.
Former housing minister Steve Clark resigned from cabinet but later returned to a senior government role as house leader. Former public and business service delivery minister Kaleed Rasheed subsequently left provincial politics, while former political aides Ryan Amato and Jae Truesdell moved into the private sector.
Ford eventually reversed the Greenbelt development decision following mounting political pressure and public opposition.
Despite the reversal, questions surrounding how the properties were selected and whether political influence played a role have continued to attract scrutiny.
In a written statement to the Toronto Star, the RCMP confirmed that its investigation remains underway but declined to provide further details.
Police maintained that disclosing information could compromise the integrity of the criminal investigation and emphasized that investigators must protect the process.
Runciman rejected the argument that the public should receive no information after nearly three years.
Drawing on his own experience, he recalled being investigated by the RCMP in 1998 after a provincial throne speech improperly identified a young offender. He temporarily stepped away from cabinet before being cleared three months later.
Runciman said the Greenbelt investigation has continued for an unreasonable length of time, leaving several individuals facing prolonged uncertainty.
He has urged Conservative parliamentarians and senators to seek greater clarity from the RCMP, particularly regarding individuals who may no longer be connected to the investigation.
According to sources cited by the Toronto Star, investigators from the RCMP’s Sensitive and International Investigations unit have interviewed several dozen current and former members of Ford’s political staff.
However, it remains unclear whether investigators have questioned any developers or property owners involved in the land transactions.
Ford himself has not been interviewed by the RCMP, although he has repeatedly pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
The premier’s office reiterated that commitment, stating that the provincial government remains prepared to assist federal investigators and directing further inquiries to the RCMP.
The controversy originated in the government’s decision to open 15 parcels of protected Greenbelt land for housing development.
Investigations revealed that 14 of those parcels had been selected by Ryan Amato, then chief of staff to housing minister Steve Clark, with input from certain developers.
Amato resigned after the provincial watchdog reports were released but has maintained that he was carrying out instructions.
Clark stepped down as housing minister shortly before Ford abandoned the proposed Greenbelt changes.
Rasheed also resigned from cabinet and was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus after questions emerged about a 2020 trip to Las Vegas involving developer Shakir Rehmatullah, who held interests in two properties initially removed from Greenbelt protection.
Rasheed acknowledged providing incorrect information about the timing of the trip to Ontario’s integrity commissioner but maintained that it was an unintentional error.
He has also insisted that he had no involvement in the government’s Greenbelt land selection decisions. The integrity commissioner subsequently closed his case.
The continuing RCMP investigation has kept the controversy in the public spotlight, even as several former officials have moved on to other professional roles.
With no publicly announced conclusion or timeline for the investigation, questions remain about whether criminal charges will be laid and when Ontarians can expect a clearer account of the findings.
As the third anniversary approaches, the prolonged investigation continues to raise concerns about political accountability, public confidence and the transparency of one of Ontario’s most controversial land-use decisions.
