Orleans MPP Stephen Blais has written to the Auditor General to request that he investigate the addition of land at the edge of Orleans to Ottawa's urban boundary by the provincial government. Blais' wants to investigate the land at 1177 Watters Rd. for similar insider connections as those exposed in the Toronto Greenbelt scandal.
In late September, the Government of Ontario had to renege on permissions to open up the Greenbelt in southern Ontario to development, after the provincial Integrity Commissioner and Auditor General slammed the plan. Several developers, who seemed to have inside knowledge that protected lands would be opened, recently bought large parcels there. Since then, both the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark and his Chief of Staff Ryan Amato have resigned, and Premier Doug Ford has admitted the government made a "mistake."
In a similar vein, Blais asked the Auditor General to investigate the the rationale and criteria used by the minister to select additional lands in the Ottawa area. He also asked what internal process was used, how the minister assessed the impacts on the environment, economy, and governance of the City of Ottawa and the province, how the minister consulted with the city, other municipalities, Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and the public, and the impact of political association and lobbying efforts on the minister's decision. He is concerned that the buyers of 1177 Watters Rd. or the other lands added to the boundary received inside knowledge prior to the minister’s decision to change Ottawa's urban boundary.
Blais states that a new development corporation, 1177 Watters Development Ltd., bought the Watters land for almost $140,000 per acre in August of 2021, and both it and its apparent holding company donated over $37,000 to the Conservative Party of Ontario before the government added that land and other rural lands to the urban boundary. Blais provided CJRO with a timeline of the controversial Orléans Land Deal showing a similar trajectory as the Toronto Greenbelt lands. The timeline (below) provided by Blais shows the Watters Road property was purchased by developers shortly before the land designation was changed from agriculture.
Timeline:
"May 2020 - Ottawa City Council votes to expand Ottawa's urban boundary by 1,281 hectares (HA) with a priority of protecting high quality farmland as directed by the Provincial Policy Statement. The land at 1177 Watters Road is confirmed as High Quality farmland by this study and not even evaluated for inclusion in the boundary or development. August 2021 - The newly incorporated 1177 Watters Developments Ltd. bought the land from the long time family owners for $12.7 million - which equates to $139,382 an acre. This shell company is controlled by a major construction and development company. Development lands in Orleans are currently selling for 3-5 times that price depending on local factors. 2021 to Present - $37,456 is donated to the Governing Political Party by the corporate directors of 1177 Watters Developments Ltd. and it's apparent holding company, according to current Elections Ontario records. There are no records of political donations for these individuals before 2021. November 4, 2022 - The former Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who is required to sign off on Ottawa's Official Plan (Passed in May 2020), adds an additional 654 HA to Ottawa's urban boundary, including the lands at 1177 Watters Road before signing off on the plan."
CJRO asked both Blais and MPP of Glengarry Prescott Russell Stephane Sazzazin questions on Oct. 16 about the potential RCMP or OPP investigations, other land deals in the province and the protection of other lands in the province. Sarrazin had not responded by broadcast time.
CJRO attempted to find more information about 1177 Watters Development Ltd., but could only find a listing by Subhkin Management, a real estate and development company and it was unclear if the land listed by them was the same property. CJRO reached out to Subhkin by email but had not received a response by broadcast time.
While the controversy continues, residents of Ottawa are being offered a Planning Primer Program to help them become more aware of and involved in the land-use planning process. A Zoom link can be requested at primer@ottawa.ca. The sessions are Oct.18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Oct. 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Listen to the interview with Blais here: