Doug Ford, Candidate for Ontario Premier, Would Open Toronto Greenbelt to Development

Progressive Conservative party leader Doug Ford, the brother of the infamous former mayor of Toronto Rob Ford, is running for premier of Ontario, establishing himself as the antithesis of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and reminding observers of President Trump.

Ford was recorded speaking about his position on the Toronto Greenbelt at an event at the end of April, saying the following:

We will open up the Greenbelt, not all of it, we’re going to open a big chunk of it up and we’re going to start building and making it more affordable and putting more houses out there.

When asked later to clarify his comments, Ford said any land developed in the current Greenbelt would be replaced.

"The Greenbelt covers 325 km from the Oak Ridges Moraine to the Niagara River, and was protected in legislation by the Ontario Liberal government in 2005 as a natural buffer against urban sprawl," according to an article by Antonella Artuso.

Wendell Cox penned an opinion piece for the Financial Post expressing support for Ford's idea to develop single-family homes in the Greenbelt.