Stiles says Ford “slammed the door” on Greenbelt transparency

QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is calling out the Ford government after hundreds of records tied to the Greenbelt scandal were withheld following last-minute changes to freedom of information laws:

“If there’s nothing to hide, why go to such extreme lengths to hide it?

“This is exactly what these FOI law changes were designed to do. Just as hundreds of records were cleared and ready to be released, this government changed the rules and slammed the door shut.

“These changes don’t just block records, they are now expected to collapse ongoing court cases tied to the Greenbelt scandal, cutting off access to evidence before it ever sees the light of day.

“Let’s also not forget that FOIs helped expose the Greenbelt scandal in the first place, which then triggered the ongoing RCMP investigation. Now, right as the truth is within reach, it would appear that Ford is scrambling to keep it buried.

“You don’t shut down access like this unless you’re worried about what people will find. Ontarians aren’t buying this. Ford can try to lock the door, but we’re not backing off until Ontarians get the answers they deserve.”