Ontario finance minister defends government’s decision to open Greenbelt for development

TRAFFIC LEVELEV IT’S DOWN IN MID-AUGUST. IT WILL BE MUCH BUSIER SEPTEMBER SO THEY’RE HOPING TO GET THAT WORK DONE AS SOON AS THEY CAN. REPORTING LIVE FROM BROADVIEW AND DANFORTH, I’M JOHN MUSSELMAN. >> Nathan: THE QUESTIONS AT QUEEN’S PARK OVER GREENBELT DEVELOPMENT CONTINUE. >> Andria: THE FINANCE MINISTER TALKED ABOUT HOW THE

FORD GOVERNMENT IS HANDLING TAXPAYERS’ MONEY AND IS DEFENDING THE DECISION TO OPEN UP PRIME FARMLAND FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. MIKE WALKER IS AT QUEEN’S PARK. GOOD AFTERNOON. >> Reporter: THE FINANCIAL UPDATES SHOW REVENUES AND EXPENSES AND THE DEFICIT LARGELY REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM WHEN IT WAS FORECAST IN THE SPRING BUDGET.

THE FINANCE MINISTER SAYS THAT DEMONSTRATES THE GOVERNMENT’S PLAN IS WORKING BUT HE CAME UNDER FIRE FOR THE GOVERN’S PLAN TO DEVELOP THE GREENBELT AND DEFEND IT MULTIPLE TIMES. THE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION TO DO SO. THE FINANCE MINISTER SAYS ONTARIO’S ECONOMY REMAINS RESILIENT DESPITE HEIGHTENED ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES. >> ONTARIO’S POPULATION IS GROWING.

JOBS ARE BEING CREATED, AND WE ARE ATTRACTING INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE. >> Reporter: PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE PROVINCE’S FINANCES, PETER BETHLENFALVY SAYS ONTARIO’S GDP WAS NEARLY 5% HIGHER THAN PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN 2019. THE PROVINCE’S DEFICIT IS PROJECT TO BE $1.3 BILLION.

REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE JUST OVER 204 BILLION. TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSE OF $190.6 BILLION. ALSO LARGELY UNCHANGED FROM THE BUDGET. >> — INVESTMENTS, PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH EXISTING QUINTIN GENESIS, INCLUDE SUPPORTS FOR ONTARIO’S MANUFACTURING SECTOR, FUNDING FOR POLICING, AND ANTICRIME INITIATIVES AS WELL AS MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS. >> Reporter: THE POSITIVE

ECONOMIC NEWS COMES DAYS AFTER A SCATHING REPORT FROM THE AUDITOR GENERAL OVER THE FORD GOVERNMENT’S DECISION TO DEVELOP MORE THAN 7400 ACRES OF GREENBELT LAND. THE AG CONCLUDED THE PROCESS TO SELECT GREENBELT LANDS FOR REMOVAL WAS BIASED AND FAVOURED SOME DEVELOPERS SPEARHEADED BY THE HOUSING MINISTER’S CHIEF OF STAFF. HUNDREDS PROTESTED AT THE

FINANCE MINISTER’S CONSTITUENCY OFFICE ON SUNDAY IN PICKERING WHERE NEARLY 60% OF THE GREENBELT BEING REMOVED IS LOCATED IN IT THE DID YOU HAVE RINSE ROUGE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE. BETHLENFALVY TOLD REPORTERS HE HAD NO DISCUSSION WITH DEVELOPERS PRIOR TO ANY DECISIONS BEING MADE. >> I HAVEN’T SAT DOWN WITH THOSE DEVELOPERS.

>> Reporter: POINTING TO THE DESIRES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. >> IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT REMOVING THOSE LANDS, CERTAINLY SOMETHING — THE MAYOR AT THE TIME AND THE COUNCIL BROUGHT UP AND MANY PEOPLE BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THEY’VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR OVER A COUPLE OF DECADES. >> Reporter: THE FINANCE

MINISTER ALSO DOUBLED DOWN ON THE GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO DEVELOP HOUSING ON THE LAND AND NOT RE-EVALUATE THE DECISION. >> 500,000 PEOPLE COME THAT THIS PROVINCE LAST YEAR AND WHO KNOWS WHAT NUMBER THAT WILL BE THIS YEAR. WE HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RESPONSIBILITY TO PEOPLE OF ONTARIO TO CONTINUE TO BUILD HOUSES.

>> Reporter: THE FINANCIAL UPDATE ALSO SHOWED THE

Subscribe to CTV News to watch more videos:

Connect with CTV News:
For the latest news visit:
For a full video offering visit the CTV News Network:

CTV News on Facebook:
CTV News on TikTok:
CTV News on Twitter:
CTV News on Instagram:
CTV News on Reddit:

—
CTV News is Canada’s most-watched news organization both locally and nationally, and has a network of national, international, and local news operations.

Reference