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Despite reversal of Greenbelt decision, local activist isn’t convinced it’s a substantial change

People with protests signs stand on a green lawn. Across the street is a low rise grey and black building.
Hundreds of protestors met Doug Ford when he visited Kitchener on Sept. 8 to host Ford Fest. Photo by Kevin Thomason.
Dan Kellar - CKMS - Kitchener • ON | 05-10-2023
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The evolving changes with Ontario's Greenbelt have been challenging for media to follow and has necessitated many updates.

CKMS was ready to broadcast an interview with Kevin Thomason of the Grand River Environmental Network on September 21st. For quite a while now, Thomason has been organizing against Ontario's conservative government's plans to develop the ecologically important lands of the protected Greenbelt.

And then, minutes before it went to air, Doug Ford announced he would be reversing the Greenbelt land deals saying "I am very, very sorry... it was a mistake to open the Greenbelt.” He added his actions were "with the best of intentions", and that he "prides himself on keeping his promises". With the 2018 promises to never develop the Green Belt, in mind, Ford once again promised he "won't make any changes to the green belt in the future".

On September 29, CKMS also did a follow up interview with Kevin Thomason to see how his perspective has changed now that the Greenbelt decision has been reversed. In this updated interview, Kevin Thomason maintains his position that despite the conservative's recent reversal on the development of the greenbelt, the Ford government is "corrupt". 

Arguing that the Greenbelt was not the only area where Ford is attempting to take develop ecologically important lands under the guise of the housing crisis, and "given it to developers", noting that "the RCMP do not investigate favouritism, they investigate crime".

Thomason also spoke of the ongoing resistance to Doug Ford's plans, including highway 413 construction, highway 7 expansion, forcing housing sprawl over other ecologically important lands with ministerial zoning orders, and other patterns of behaviour from the Ford government which "are not serving the best interest of Ontarians".

In a statement to CKMS News on September 13th, days before Ford's Greenbelt reversal announcement, Kitchener-Conestoga PC MPP Mike Harris Jr. said that he supported Ford's direction, writing that the Conservative government will continue with their plan to build homes on "non-sensitive" Green Belt lands claiming this was "requested by many municipalities". Harris concluded: "I want to emphasize that, under the continued leadership of our Premier, our Government will prioritize addressing the housing crisis."

Following Ford's greenbelt reversal announcement on September 21st, MPP Harris, responded to CKMS News with a statement regarding the quick policy changes from his government, saying:

"After extensive consultations with cabinet, caucus and upon reviewing the public's response, the Premier decided that the Greenbelt would be preserved."

Harris added that the government will maintain the protection on the lands they had added to the Greenbelt to compensate for the lands they removed and that "As the process of reversing the decision is complex, more information will be released as it becomes available."

Listen to the story and full interview with Kevin Thomason below:

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