Ford stands by Ontario housing minister as opponents call for firing over Greenbelt land swap

Premier Doug Ford doubled down on a pledge to build more homes in Ontario and insisted on Housing Minister Steve Clark's continued role in his government Thursday, a day after the province's integrity commissioner recommended Clark be reprimanded for his role in the controversial Greenbelt land swap.

At an unrelated news conference, Ford was asked repeatedly why Clark will keep his position despite a lengthy report from J. David Wake that said the housing minister 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.

"Minister Clark is part of our team and will continue to be part of our team," Ford said. "At the end of the day, I'm not happy with the process, we're changing the process, but I have to build these homes, and we're going to continue to build the 1.5 million homes in every corner of this province.

"I'm responsible for everything that happens in the province. And I always make sure we hold our caucus and our ministers accountable, to follow the mandate that we gave them," he said. 

At his own news conference Thursday afternoon, Clark said the integrity commissioner's report pointed to "very clear flaws" in the process, and said he was sorry that he did not provide "sufficient oversight" over his former chief of staff and the land swap process.

"To Ontarians I want to apologize very sincerely that I did not," Clark said.

WATCH | Steve Clark apologizes, but rebuffs calls to resign:

When asked what consequence he should face, Clark did not directly answer the question.

"We are going to implement a better process going forward … I'm here to accept responsibility," he said.

Ontario Liberal Party Leader John Fraser spoke with reporters right after Clark, and lambasted him for not resigning.

"What he did was wrong," Fraser said. "What he did was fail the people of Ontario … and he should have stepped down today.

"It's indefensible."

Opposition NDP Leader Marit Stiles again called for Clark to step down in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"Ontarians deserve so much better than fake apologies. His words are meaningless without any action to back them up," she said. "Ontarians have lost all trust in this Minister and he needs to go."