'I don’t believe in micromanaging': Ford sidesteps questions about his role in carving up Greenbelt

Ontario Premier Doug Ford sidestepped questions about his role in carving up the Greenbelt for development yet again on Tuesday, saying that he doesn’t believe in micromanaging his team.

“I don't believe in micromanaging ministers. I have confidence in our ministers and the process,” the premier said at a news conference.

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The comments were made in response to questions about an integrity commissioner’s report that found a lack of supervision and leadership led to “the private interests of certain developers being furthered improperly.”

The report was particularly damning for Housing Minister Steve Clark, who has since resigned from his cabinet position, and for senior members of his staff.

However it also points to a mandate letter written by the premier instructing the housing minister to “in Fall 2022, complete work to codify processes for swaps, expansions, contractions and policy updates for the Greenbelt.”

Both reports indicate the Premier’s Office and cabinet went forward with the decision without questioning how sites were selected.

Ford and Clark have admitted the process in which the Greenbelt sites was flawed, and vowed to adopt 14 of the 15 recommendations made by the auditor general as a result.

They both said “the buck stops with me,” but for weeks the premier publicly stated that Clark and his staff had his full confidence.

Ford continued to throw his support behind Clark on Tuesday, saying he acted in the best interest of both the party and the people of Ontario.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford leaves his office to speak to journalists at the Queens Park Legislature in Toronto on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

The Green Party has asked for a public inquiry into how these decisions were made while the NDP have asked for the legislature to be recalled the land returned to the Greenbelt.

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser said that Clark’s resignation, and Ford’s recent pledge to re-evaluate the Greenbelt, are “irrelevant.”

"The Premier needs to waive cabinet privilege and open the books for a fair and transparent investigation. We need to see the emails, calls, meeting notes, and texts, and we need a Legislative Committee to question all those involved.”

The Progressive Conservative’s have made it clear they will not be returning land back to the Greenbelt unless developers backtrack on their pledge to build housing. In fact on Tuesday, Ford said he would be re-evaluating the entire two-million acres of the Greenbelt, as well as the hundreds of applications for land removal, to determine if they have “merit.”

He made it clear that more changes to the Greenbelt may come following a full review.