Doug Ford backtracked on the greenbelt, but it's full speed ahead for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The RCMP announced on Tuesday that its Sensitive and International Investigations unit is taking on the case.
"Following a referral from the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP O Division's Sensitive and International Investigations (SII) unit has now launched an investigation into allegations associated to the decision from the Province of Ontario to open parts of the Greenbelt for development," a statement from the RCMP read. "While we recognize that this investigation is of significant interest to Canadians, the RCMP has a duty to protect the integrity of the investigations that it carries out, in order to ensure that the process leads to a fair and proper outcome. Therefore, no further updates will be provided at this time."
Multiple government watchdogs found violations in the process the Ford government used to identify parcels of land within the greenbelt for development.
Last month, the premier announced a reversal on the land swaps.
“I made a promise to you [Ontarians], that I wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt. I broke that promise. And for that I’m very, very sorry,” Ford said during a news conference in Niagara Falls on September 21.
Ford made the announcement after the resignations of two cabinet ministers.
Steve Clark, who had the Municipal Affairs and Housing portfolio, resigned on September 4.
Kaleed Rasheed resigned as the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery the day before Ford backtracked on the greenbelt plan.
"The government will fully cooperate with any investigation. We have zero tolerance for any wrongdoing and expect anyone involved in decision making about the Greenbelt lands to have follow the letter of the law," said a statement from the Premier's office. "Out of respect for the police and the process, we will not be commenting further at this time."
The opposition reacted to the news shortly after the investigation was announced.
“Now we have a Premier under criminal investigation and a government that is spiraling out of control. It is absolutely shameful that under Premier Ford’s leadership this government has appeared to have acted so improperly that the RCMP was compelled to launch an investigation," said NDP Leader Marit Stiles in a statement on Tuesday. "The Premier and members of his government must fully comply with the RCMP about what exactly happened here.”
Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk said in her report that PC-friendly developers saw the value of their land portfolios go up by $8.3-billion in the wake of the now-cancelled land swaps.
