Greenbelt issue impeding other projects

Poll finds public distrust a hurdle in getting Ontarians onside with ways to speed up infrastructure

- ALLISON JONES

One of the largest factors standing in the way of Ontario being able to speed up critical infrastructure projects is a sense of public distrust fostered by the government’s own history with the Greenbelt, polling commissioned by the government suggests.

Leger conducted an online survey about infrastructure in mid-to-late December and held focus groups in January. The Greenbelt was frequently cited, more than a year after media reports first raised questions about government ties to developers and several months after the release of two legislative officers’ scathing reports.

Both the auditor general and the integrity commissioner found the government’s process to remove 15 parcels of land from the Greenbelt to build 50,000 homes favoured certain developers.