NDP: Ford’s Conservatives stumbling through important housing policy when Ontarians need stability

QUEEN’S PARK – Ford’s new Housing Minister, Paul Calandra made a surprise request to punt an external review of regional governance to a legislative committee – just two days after his abrupt announcement that next steps on this process wouldn’t happen until end of September.

MPP Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre), NDP critic for Municipal Affairs released the following statement:

“This government is lurching from one random decision to another, with no clarity on their direction or motives.

Calandra is Ford’s deflector-in-chief and it’s clear that he’s trying to dodge accountability on both their failed housing policies and the process that his predecessor and this corrupt government put in motion. These facilitators were slated to make incredibly important decisions for our regions and municipalities – and Calandra’s treating it like a game of hot-potato.

Ontarians desperately need help as home and rental prices skyrocket, and we don’t have the housing we need. Instead of focusing on solutions, Ford and Calandra are desperately trying to get out of political hot water – and leaving Ontarians high and dry.”

Background

• In November 2022, disgraced housing minister Steve Clark announced he would appoint facilitators to review six regions (Waterloo, Halton, Niagara, Simcoe, Durham, and York), to determine if they should be re-evaluated like Peel region.
• New Housing Minister Paul Calandra requested today that this review be undertaken by a legislative committee, not regional facilitators
• Clark resigned in September 2023, following two scathing reports on his role in the Greenbelt scandal, which demonstrated bias and incompetence - and that he broke the law.