ryan amato

While no one explicitly told developers that Ontario planned to open up the protected Greenbelt for housing last year, the government telegraphed that message to builders through actions – and silence, the province's integrity commissioner found.

"If they decide to investigate – they haven't decided yet – but if they do I take it very serious, extremely serious, and I have zero tolerance if there was any nonsense going on," he said Friday.

Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysyk found the Ford government’s 2022 decision to open part of the protected Greenbelt for development was driven by political influence and privileged access.