Ford speaking at 9 a.m. ET following calls to fire or reprimand housing minister
CBC
Premier Doug Ford is holding a news conference in Toronto on Thursday morning at 9 a.m., the day after Ontario's integrity commissioner recommended Housing Minister Steve Clark be reprimanded for his role in the province's controversial Greenbelt land swap.
On Wednesday, a report issued by J. David Wake said Clark failed to have proper oversight over the process that led to protected Greenbelt lands being selected for housing development, ultimately allowing the interests of some private developers to influence the project. You can read more about that story and find the full integrity commissioner's report here.
That report came weeks after the province's auditor general released an extensive report that showed property developers connected to the government influenced the decision to open up the Greenbelt to their financial benefit.
Yesterday, Ford's office said Clark would keep his job and made no mention of sanctions, despite fresh calls from the political opposition at Queen's Park to fire him.
Clark said in a statement following the report's publication that he accepts its findings, stating there were "clear flaws in the process." But he echoed the premier's office's comments, pledging a commitment to building housing.
Ford is speaking Thursday alongside Labour Minister Monte McNaughton and Education Minister Stephen Lecce.
Clark is expected to hold his own news conference at 12:30 p.m. ET.