Following the fatal Air Canada collision at LaGuardia Airport, questions are emerging about aviation safety protocols, emergency response coordination, aircraft systems and potential economic and regulatory implications for the airline industry. As investigators work to determine the cause, 91亚色 experts are available to provide context and analysis across these areas.

is a labour geographer and associate professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. He is a past spokesperson for the Toronto Airport Workers鈥� Council, an organization representing Pearson International Airport鈥檚 50,000 workers and its largest unions. He frequently provides media commentary on labour issues related to aviation, hospitality and service industries.

His research focuses on labour markets, employment relations and the geography of work, with a particular emphasis on trade unions and workforce dynamics in service industries. His work examines how working conditions, labour organization and economic restructuring shape industry performance, including in the transportation and hospitality sectors.

He is available to comment on:

• Labour dynamics in the airline industry, including working conditions, scheduling and workforce pressures
• The relationship between labour practices and operational performance in aviation
• Economic and industry impacts of major aviation incidents, including recovery, regulation and workforce implications

is an associate professor of Disaster & Emergency Management. His research examines disaster response operations, hazard mitigation and non-routine emergencies, such as transportation disasters and mass casualty incidents.

Rozdilsky frequently provides media analysis on public safety, emergency preparedness and crisis response, including the Delta Flight 4819 crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year.

He is available to comment on:

• Public safety and emergency response coordination following an aviation disaster
• Disaster management protocols, inter-agency collaboration and lessons learned from response efforts
• Risk management in high-reliability organization settings like airports

is a professor of Disaster & Emergency Management, executive director of 91亚色鈥檚 Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid Response Simulation (ADERSIM) lab and director of CIFAL 91亚色, part of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) network.

An expert in disaster, emergency and business continuity management, Asgary鈥檚 work focuses on modelling, simulation and decision-support systems for crisis management. His research examines how complex emergencies, including aviation incidents, can be better managed through data-driven and AI-enabled planning tools.

He is available to comment on:

• Disaster simulation and emergency management systems
• Decision-support technologies and AI solutions for airport emergency response and recovery coordination
• Risk reduction, response coordination and recovery planning in complex emergencies

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91亚色 places first for Quality Education and second for Gender Equality, Reduced Inequities and Responsible Consumption and Production in Canada

TORONTO, June 18, 2025 鈥� In today鈥檚 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings results, 91亚色 continues to lead in the world鈥檚 top Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), holding firm with a top 40 spot overall and jumping hundreds of spots in SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. The significant new global ranking comes alongside 91亚色鈥檚 deepening academic strength in health studies, and as the University鈥檚 new School of Medicine takes shape.

91亚色 holds strong at 38th out of 2,318 institutions worldwide, and 7th in Canada, despite more than 350 additional institutions participating this year. The THE Impact Rankings highlight how the University is making significant changes not only on its three main Greater Toronto Area campuses and in surrounding local communities, but also on the global stage.

鈥�91亚色 has once again been recognized as a leader by Times Higher Education鈥檚 Impact Ranking for advancing the SDGs,鈥� said Rhonda Lenton, 91亚色 president and vice-chancellor. 鈥淚鈥檓 particularly proud to see the major jump we have made in SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. This aligns with our focus on advancing health in our own communities and those we serve. The recent approval of 91亚色鈥檚 School of Medicine is a testament to this commitment and to our dedication to ensure that all families have access to equitable health care here in Ontario. My warmest thanks and congratulations to everyone who advances the SDGs every day here at 91亚色, and beyond.鈥�

In Canada, 91亚色 is number one for SDG 4: Quality education, and second for SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 10: Reduced inequities and SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production. The University scored in the top 10 across the country for 12 out of 17 SDGs.

Sustainability is an important pillar at 91亚色. Its renewed Sustainability Strategy articulates a bold vision for achieving climate targets and environmentally sound practices while its Academic Plan embeds SDGs directly into research, teaching and partnerships.

As part of THE Impact Rankings, the University did particularly well in social justice and action SDGs, including SDGs 1: No poverty; 3: Good health and well-being; 10: Reduced inequalities; 12: Responsible consumption and production; 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure; and 17: Partnership for the goals.

91亚色 is supporting good health and well-being by opening a new School of Medicine to help address the urgent need for more primary care physicians in Ontario. In addition, 91亚色 is one of only four post-secondary institutions in the province to receive new funding from the Ontario government to launch of an accelerated registered nursing degree program to help get nurses into the workforce sooner.

In addition, as academic lead of the  and through its new Organized Research Unit, OneWATER, the University is helping to develop equitable and integrated solutions to water issues facing many communities worldwide. The UNITAR Global Water Academy and 91亚色 recently announced the launch of three, free online courses: , , and .

91亚色 was recently named the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Hub Chair for SDG 10 out of 1,700-plus UNAI members in recognition of its commitment to addressing systemic inequality, discrimination and exclusion across the University鈥檚 operations, teaching, research and outreach.

91亚色 is working to reduce inequality through its support of Indigenous research, the Centre for Refugee Studies, and through the .

The University has international partners in Costa Rica, Ghana and the Philippines ready to work with 91亚色 Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response and Governance Institute (Y-MERGE), 91亚色鈥檚 Las Nubes campus in Costa Rica, the Centre for Refugee Studies, the and the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research.

The University also helps address poverty and inequality through initiatives such as the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness . In addition, 's Parkdale Community Legal Services program and Community Legal Aid Services provide legal assistance to lower income Toronto area residents.

The University鈥檚 values of social justice, progressiveness, inclusivity, sustainability and excellence are infused into its Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, Framework and Action Plan on Black Inclusion, and the , including the establishment of a dedicated Indigenous Research Ethics Board at 91亚色 鈥� the first for a post-secondary institution in Canada. 

With more than 350 global partnerships in 60 plus countries, it鈥檚 no wonder 91亚色 jumped 11 spots in SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions. Most recently the University signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Both institutions have strong foundations in research and knowledge mobilization that helps protect the environment and support their surrounding communities.

In support of industry, innovation and infrastructure and sustainable cities and communities, 91亚色 continues to promote and support innovation and entrepreneurship, fintech and AI in 91亚色 Region where it recently opened its new Markham Campus.

Through its Disaster and Emergency Management program, 91亚色鈥檚 new state-of-the-art Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid Response Simulation (ADERSIM) Lab and Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), and its Understanding and Improving Wildfire Mitigation Partnerships with Local Governments project,the University is helping to increase the sustainability cities and communities. The EOC can manage, coordinate and act as a hub to support large-scale emergency operations and evaluate rapid emergence response strategies across Canada and around the world. The ADERSIM Lab will develop emergency management tools and technologies, train students and industry partners, while the wildfire project will allow the University and its partners to evaluate the issues local governments face in adopting wildfire mitigation practices and determine how to scale up their mitigation efforts.

Further highlighting 91亚色鈥檚 work in diversity and sustainability across its multiple campuses, the University was once again named one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers in 2025鈥痜or the 13th consecutive year and one of Canada鈥檚 Best Diversity Employers 2025. 91亚色 also continues to have a strong global position in the , one of the top 400 worldwide. 

Learn more about how the 91亚色 community is creating positive change by advancing sustainable development.

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Study of the Indigenous three sisters gardens and their most important wild bee pollinators by 91亚色 bee experts an important first step

TORONTO, May 22, 2024 鈥� The loss of even one wild bee species can disrupt the reproductive success of certain plants resulting in fewer vegetables, fruits and flowers, say 91亚色 researchers who studied how pollinators and plants rely on each other, specifically in Indigenous gardens in the Great Lakes Region.

Pollination deficits can threaten global food security. A decline in the bounty of plants can in turn lead to fewer resources for pollinators and put their survival at increased danger. Researchers at 91亚色 delved into its significance using a three sisters garden, along with additional culturally significant plants to see what was abuzz.

鈥淭his delicately balanced pollinator-plant network is at risk of future human-caused collapse, but it has not been well studied and there has been little understanding of how this co-reliance works and the threats against it,鈥� says 91亚色 PhD Candidate Shelby Gibson of the Faculty of Science in the of co-author 91亚色 Associate Professor of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC).

Additional co-authors include , a 91亚色 PhD Faculty of Science graduate now of the Canadian Museum of Nature, and Associate Professor of EUC.

The three sisters garden uses an ancestral Indigenous growing method, a form of intercropping that involves the growth of multiple crops simultaneously, including culturally important medicinal plants. However, land use changes, the use of pesticides and other agricultural practices, the invasion of non-native species and climate change are increasingly impacting how pollinators and plants match up.

The study, , published today in the journal PeerJ, looked at how the pollinator community visiting the garden differed from the surrounding wild pollinator community.

鈥淜nowing what is involved with these pollinator-plant networks can help us minimize future disruptions that could result in the loss of both plants and wild bee species,鈥� says Colla. 鈥淚t can also provide us with baseline information about the role of wild bees and the stability of the network to weather environmental change.鈥�

This delicately balanced pollinator-plant network is at risk of future human-caused collapse, but it has not been well studied and there has been little understanding of how this co-reliance works and the threats against it.

Shelby Gibson

The three sisters garden has corn, common bean and squash, which rely on insect pollination. For squash, the pollination window is short 鈥� their flowers open at dawn and close by noon 鈥� and it is historically pollinated by the hoary squash bee.

Overall, some 37 species or 59 per cent of the about 63 bee species thought to occur in the wider community were identified in the garden. Bumblebees were the most frequent genus with the most frequent species being the common eastern bumble bee. Equally as common as the common eastern bumble bee, was the hoary squash bee. These bees interacted mostly with Patty Pan squash. The hoary squash bee is recognized as a key species for the three sisters garden and an important pollinator to protect. They have specialized hairs for collecting squash pollen and are extremely active during the squash pollination window.

Although the range of the hoary squash bee has grown, it doesn鈥檛 typically include wild squash and its range has been impacted by continued agricultural expansion. In their absence, honey bees and bumble bees are known to be able to pollinate squash, but it is the aptly named hoary squash bee that has co-evolved with the plant.

Recommendations for management of the hoary squash bee within the agroecosystem are to minimize pesticide exposure, provide nesting sites (they are ground nesters), maintain field proximity, monitor populations, parasites, and pathogens, and limit deep tillage of the earth. Many of the things already in practice at the three sister garden.

The researchers say further research is necessary to ascertain how to manage ongoing threats to the common eastern bumble bee and the hoary squash bee, both important pollinators in the three sisters garden system, but also the overall critical role of wild pollinators for culturally significant plants. This could include the role of policies and programs that support and promote conservation and pollinator-plant diversity.

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As part of its sustainability strategy, the University is now a designated Fair Trade Campus for its commitment to providing products that benefit workers in the Global South

TORONTO, May 8, 2024 鈥� 91亚色 is full of beans 鈥� fair trade coffee beans 鈥� excited about its new fair trade silver designation and its ability to offer sustainably produced coffee, chocolate, tea and more across its three campuses.

It takes a community. Receiving the fair trade recent designation was the result of years of dedicated collaboration between students, faculty and staff to provide more sustainable options at its campuses. The designation is a big win for those who championed and raised awareness of fair trade at 91亚色.

The University celebrated its new designation today with a pop-up event outside of Vari Hall on the Keele Campus hosted by the Office of Sustainability to further foster awareness and community while serving up free fair trade Las Nubes coffee. The event also helped the University's Office of Institutional Events achieve gold in the Sustainable Events Certification Program.

The fair trade designation is just one way 91亚色 can make a global difference in the lives of others by leveraging its buying power for good. It also creates learning opportunities for students and encourages an understanding of the impact of buying choices and how they can go a long way toward sustainability.

鈥淎t 91亚色, our commitment to sustainability isn't just a strategy - it's a community-driven journey where every fair trade purchase creates ripples of positive change worldwide," says Mike Layton, chief sustainability officer. "91亚色's achievement of becoming a Fair Trade Campus would not have been possible without the work of many across the University, including teams in Food Services, the Bookstore, professors and former students.鈥�

Fair trade items such as bananas, various snacks, banana chocolate chip loaf, and hot chocolate round out some of the edible offerings at a variety of restaurants, food services, stores and vending machines, including fair trade Las Nubes coffee, grown near 91亚色's Las Nubes EcoCampus in Costa Rica and its 400-acre Las Nubes Biological Reserve. Students at the Faculty of Environment and Urban Change鈥檚 EcoCampus learn about and research neotropical conservation, eco-health, community well-being and sustainable livelihoods.

In addition to food, fair trade apparel is also available at the University鈥檚 Bookstore 鈥� considered the first in Canada to sell certified, fair trade clothing in a campus bookstore 鈥� in partnership with , a campus based-cooperative and sustainable products supplier founded by students and faculty at 91亚色 and incorporated in 2011. It was their answer to the lack of fair trade cotton T-shirt importers in Canada or ways for students to embrace and create change. Today, there is a wide selection of fair trade T-shirts and hoodies in the 91亚色 Bookstore.

This is in line with 91亚色鈥檚 decades long commitment to sustainability and support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), part of its University Academic Plan. As a Fair Trade Campus, 91亚色 is helping to tackle several SDGs, including SDG 12 鈥� responsible consumption and production, SDG 2 鈥� zero hunger, SDG 1 鈥� no poverty, and SDG 11 鈥� sustainable cities and communities.

The designation comes through the of Fairtrade Canada, a volunteer-based organization. All fair trade products ensure production workers and farmers are fairly treated fairly and compensated for their work.

The Early Days

91亚色鈥檚 championing of sustainability has a long history of faculty and student cooperation.

Professor Emeritus Darryl Reed, who does research on fair trade and encourages its education through course work and experiential education, Professor John Simoulidis, director of the Green Campus Co-op, 鈥� both of the Business and Society Program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LAPS) 鈥� and Professor John Justin McMurtry, now the dean of LAPS, were a few of the people who pushed the initiative forward in the early days, with then student Madison Hopper, who now works for Fairtrade-certified banana importer, Equifruit. Sasa Nestorovic, bookstore director, is another big supporter and leads the acquisition of fair trade merchandise.

The initial goal was to make connections between social economy enterprises in Ontario and India, such as cotton growers, through a research project that looked at the possibilities, challenges and benefits of these types of partnerships. At that time cotton growers in India could be exposed to some 118 different pesticides.

Fair trade is something these professors, their colleagues and students, including the late 91亚色 environmental studies Professor Howard Daugherty, an advocate for fair trade and the environment who was instrumentally involved in the beginnings of 91亚色鈥檚 Las Nubes Biological Reserve, have been working toward for some 15 or more years. The reserve started with a donation of mountainous cloud forest in Costa Rica donated to 91亚色 by Dr. Woody Fisher in 1998.

The reserve鈥檚 primary areas of research included studying protected areas in the neotropics, natural resource policy and management, biological conservation, and sustainable development. The EcoCampus in Costa Rica provides the ideal location for research and learning.

Throughout its sustainable journey, 91亚色 has included students in the process, including the annual fair trade fair on the Keele Campus designed in part to educate the University community about how their choices make a difference. Through the Green Campus Co-Op, students are also given experiential learning opportunities with the hope to spark a new generation of sustainable entrepreneurs.

91亚色 continues to follow the path of sustainability and equity.

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TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2024 鈥� Some 500 Ontario high school students from more than 25 high schools are coming to 91亚色 next week to learn how they can change the world through understanding the risks of fast fashion, the importance of wetlands, the dangers of storm water runoff and much more.

The annual Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change student conference, Change Your World, is partnering with environmental and youth organizations to offer students hands-on workshops to inspire and learn how they can make a sustainable and equitable difference. Included in the day鈥檚 line up is a workshop on how to build resiliency in the face of anxiety about the future.

Media are invited to the event and its workshops on Thursday, Feb. 22.

The workshops will run in both the morning and afternoon sessions and include:

• The Cost of Fast Fashion by 91亚色鈥檚 Environmental Arts and Justice
• Shaping Sustainable Cities for a Resilient Future
• Exploring the World of Wetlands by Ontario Nature
• The Game of Nations: Power, Peace, and the Planet, a giant immersive board game, by ALPHA Education
• Climate Change and Renewables by Relay Education, students are hands on with wind turbine models and solar panels in second half of workshop
• Rain to Runoff: A Stormwater Story by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
• Ready, Set, Build: Green Infrastructure and Climate Futurism by Toronto Youth Environmental Council
• Nature in the City: Understanding Toronto's Urban Forest by City of Toronto 鈥� Urban Forestry which includes a tree identification walk (weather permitting)

For a full list of workshops, visit the website.

There will also be a special guest performance by award-winning musician and climate activist Brighid Fry, who has released five EPs on her own and with bands Kingdom of Birds and Housewife (formerly Moscow Apartment).

Keynote speakers for the event:

• Mike Layton, 91亚色鈥檚 chief sustainability officer in the Office of Sustainability, a former Toronto city councillor, 91亚色 alumus and long-time champion of sustainability.

• Alicia Richins, a sustainable impact strategist director of strategy and governance for Leading Change Canada, an organization focused on activating youth sustainability leadership for the transition to a low carbon economy within a generation.
• Joanne Huy, a community engagement professional with a passion for transforming lives and communities through transformative learning experiences and meaningful engagement.

WHAT: Change Your World conference

WHEN: Opening Ceremonies from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.; morning workshops from 11 a.m. to noon; performance by Brighid Fry from 12:30 to 1 p.m.; afternoon workshops from 1 to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Vari Hall and various classrooms, Keele Campus, 91亚色

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From Oct. 11 to 20, graduates will cross the stage at six different ceremonies, with an additional ceremony for the School of Continuing Studies.

Below are the honorary degree recipients in order of the Faculty ceremonies at which they will be honoured:

Itah Sadu, author, entrepreneur

Honorary doctor of laws - Thursday, Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m.

Ceremony details

Itah Sadu is an international, award-winning storyteller and bestselling children鈥檚 author. Her children鈥檚 books have been translated into various languages, and have been adopted for curriculum development and film adaptations.

She is the co-owner of the independent bookstore A Different Booklist with her husband, Miguel San Vicente. Their bookstore is a Toronto destination specializing in African and Caribbean-Canadian literature and diverse resources from around the world. She is also a founder of the Blackhurst Cultural Centre, formerly known as A Different Booklist Cultural Centre.

A dynamic entrepreneur and community builder, Sadu uses creativity, leadership and teamwork to create infrastructure and legacy in communities.

Her innovation has brought the city of Toronto the annual Walk With Excellence and the Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride in collaboration with the Toronto Transit Commission.

Wes Hall, Chair and founder of WeShall Investments, television personality

Honorary doctor of laws - Thursday, Oct. 12, 3:30 p.m.

Ceremony details

As the Chair and founder of WeShall Investments, a private equity firm with a diverse portfolio of companies predominantly supporting Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) entrepreneurs, Wes Hall comes from humble beginnings in rural Jamaica. He grew up in a plantation worker鈥檚 shack as one of several children supported by his grandmother. In 1985, Hall immigrated to Canada, where he set out to become the businessman he is today. Dressed daily in a suit, Wes started as a mail clerk at a leading law firm in Toronto. His curiosity, intelligence and ability to spot opportunities allowed him to turn a $100,000 loan from the bank to start his first business, Kingsdale Advisors, into Canada鈥檚 pre-eminent shareholder advisory firm.鈥� 

A staunch philanthropist, Hall is deeply committed to community betterment. He founded the ambitious and highly successful BlackNorth Initiative to help end systemic anti-Black racism in Canada. He has instructed the Black Entrepreneurship & Leadership course at the University of Toronto鈥檚 Rotman School of Management, a first-of-its-kind course in North America.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce named Hall the Canadian Business Leader of 2022. He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto, Queen鈥檚 University, Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of Ottawa and the University of the West Indies. He also received the Medal of Distinction from Huron University in 2022. 

Other accomplishments include penning a bestselling memoir, . He launched a podcast in partnership with the Toronto Star, 鈥淏etween Us with Wes Hall,鈥� and is also on the hit CBC series 鈥淒ragons鈥� Den.鈥� 

Andromache Karakatsnais, justice of the Supreme Court of Canada

Honorary doctor of laws - Friday, Oct. 13, 10:30 a.m.

Ceremony details

Justice Andromache Karakatsanis is the longest serving justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, appointed in 2011. A judge since 2002, she served first as a trial judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and then as a judge of the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Before her appointment to the bench, she worked in the justice system in diverse capacities over two decades: as a lawyer in private practice; as Chair and CEO of a regulatory tribunal; as secretary of Native Affairs for Ontario; and as deputy minister of justice and deputy attorney general of Ontario. She subsequently served as deputy minister to the premier and head of the Ontario Public Service, providing leadership to the deputy ministers and to 60,000 public servants.   

Throughout her career, Karakatsanis has volunteered extensively and served on the boards of many community and professional associations. She has been recognized with numerous medals and awards in her profession and community. She currently serves as Chair of the National Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters.

Nnimmo Bassey, architect, poet and environmental activist

Honorary doctor of laws - Friday, Oct. 13, 3:30 p.m.

Ceremony details

Nnimmo Bassey is an architect, poet, director of the ecological think tank  (based in Nigeria) and member of the steering committee of  鈥� a network resisting the expansion of fossil fuels extraction in the Global South.  

Bassey鈥檚 books include To Cook a Continent 鈥� Destructive Extraction and the Climate Crisis in Africa, Oil Politics 鈥� Echoes of Ecological War and I will Not Dance to Your Beat (poetry). 

He chaired  (2008-12) and was a co-recipient of the 2010 , also known as the 鈥渁lternative Nobel Prize鈥�. In 2012, he received the   

Bassey received Nigeria鈥檚 national honour, Member of the Federal Republic, in 2014 and became a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects in the same year. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of 91亚色, U.K., in 2019. 

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Ontario Premier Doug Ford鈥檚  on his decision to  flows from two colossal political miscalculations.

The first was failing to recognize the , had acquired an iconic status in the minds of residents of the region.

The Greenbelt was based on earlier  and , both adopted by Progressive Conservative governments. It was deeply embedded in municipal plans throughout the region.

Over time, the Greenbelt  in Ontario of efforts to protect prime farmland and key natural heritage sites from the region鈥檚 sprawling urban growth.

The government, however, refused to let go of the idea of opening the Greenbelt to development despite a  that the land was required to meet the region鈥檚 housing needs.

According to the province鈥檚 integrity commissioner, it then allowed a 鈥溾�� to unfold around the actual removal of lands, which turned out to offer the potential for billions in profits to well-connected developers.

Ford鈥檚 future now in doubt?

The second blunder was to try to  on the Greenbelt removal decision in the aftermath of harshly critical reports from both the province鈥檚 auditor general and integrity commissioner.

Even after the resignations of the  and his  at the height of the scandal, Ford wouldn鈥檛 back down.

It took more than a month of a series of damning and embarrassing news reports 鈥� leading to the , Public and Business Service Delivery Minister Kaleed Rasheed 鈥� for Ford to relent.

But the political damage suffered by the government through this period is starting  and the fallout is certain to continue:

1. 聽is considering an investigation into the Greenbelt deal-making;
2. Rasheed has聽聽the integrity commissioner under oath during inquiries into the Greenbelt decision;
3. The auditor general is planning a聽聽audit on the whole episode;
4. Freedom-of-information requests from the media, and leaks from other sources, are likely to lead to further revelations in the weeks and months to come.

Although the next provincial election is nearly three years away, the Greenbelt scandal has raised  of Ford鈥檚 own future as premier.

Greenbelt is out of the woods

Ironically, one almost certain outcome of the entire episode is that it鈥檚 probably ended any possibility of Ford鈥檚 intention to dismantle the Greenbelt.

The political fallout so far almost ensures no politician in Ontario will make similar moves against the Greenbelt for a generation or more.

The Greenbelt scandal has also vividly illustrated how badly the province has mishandled .

The province鈥檚 land-use planning system 鈥� including the Greenbelt and growth plans for the Greater Toronto Area 鈥� was once the subject of  for how it managed intense growth pressures while protecting farmland, housing affordability and natural heritage areas.

The Greenbelt debacle has demonstrated how that system  into an instrument wielded by the province to serve the wishes of well-connected developers.

Undoing the damage

A complete  is now needed to undo the damage done by the Ford government, restore the system鈥檚 credibility and address the province鈥檚 housing needs effectively. , reason and basic democratic principles of transparency and accountability all need to be returned to the system.

Although the Greenbelt appears to be safe for the time being, attention now needs to turn to the government鈥檚 handling of the redevelopment of existing urban areas,  in his speech reversing the Greenbelt removals.

So far the government鈥檚 approach to 鈥溾�� 鈥� ideally communities developed within a short distance of transit lines 鈥� has been to declare these areas free-for-all zones where the development industry can do as it wishes.

, the results of that approach in ,   have been an overwhelming focus on high-rise condominium developments, a lack of infrastructure and services of all forms, no mixing of uses (for example, significant new employment locations) or housing types, no attention paid to affordability and significant losses of existing affordable rental housing to 鈥渞edevelopment.鈥�

This is the polar opposite of the 鈥渃omplete communities鈥� and urban development centres envisioned in the  that accompanied the announcement of the Greenbelt.

Challenges ahead

The province has trampled on efforts by municipalities and communities to support more development along transit lines. The Ford government has apparently been intent on dismantling the  as well as the Greenbelt.

The challenges facing the Greater Toronto Area are multi-dimensional and complex, including:

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;, particularly at the lower end of the income scale;

鈥� Structural economic transitions and  labour markets;

鈥�&苍产蝉辫; of a changing climate;

鈥� A , particularly for the city of Toronto, driven in large part by .

The Greenbelt fiasco has been an enormous distraction from these challenges 鈥� and it remains doubtful that the Ford government can significantly change its approach to governance to address them effectively.

By professor , Environmental and Urban Change, 91亚色

This article is republished from 

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The past few weeks have witnessed an extraordinary series of events in Ontario politics. Reports tabled by the province鈥檚  and its  on the government鈥檚 November 2022 decision to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greater Toronto Area鈥檚 Greenbelt have set off a political firestorm.

The controversy has resulted in the resignation of  and his  and angry protesters greeting 

The auditor general found that normal decision-making processes related to the Greenbelt had been bypassed, that it was well-established there was no need to remove land from the Greenbelt for housing purposes and that decisions were 鈥渂iased鈥� in favour of certain developers who had bought the lands in question and who stood to reap a $8.3 billion windfall from their development.

The integrity commissioner, for his part, described the decision-making process around the Greenbelt removals as 鈥渕adcap.鈥�

Doubling down

Ford鈥檚 government has so far stonewalled on the auditor general鈥檚 key recommendation that the removal of the lands from the Greenbelt be 鈥渞econsidered.鈥�

In fact, the government seems to be moving in the opposite direction.  developers to accelerate construction on the removed lands.

New Housing Minister Paul Calandra is now advancing a wholesale review of the Greenbelt plan.  of the possibility of further land removals, if not a complete reconsideration of the Greenbelt as a whole.

The government鈥檚 response to the situation defies normal political logic. Following the departure of the minister and his chief of staff, a government might have been expected to use the announcement of the Greenbelt review as political cover to back down on the land removals, take further moves on the Greenbelt off the table and then move on from the entire episode.

The Ford government鈥檚 emerging  approach, by contrast, seems fraught with political and legal risks.

Furthermore, reports expected to be just as damaging are on the horizon. The integrity commissioner will issue a follow-up report at some point over the next year, and so will the auditor general.

Major challenges loom

 is considering requests to look into whether there鈥檚 been any criminal behaviour in relation to the Greenbelt controversy.

 to the legality and procedural correctness of Greenbelt removals loom. Municipal councils may decline to  needed to support housing development on the Greenbelt since the lands in question were never expected to be developed, and no plans exist for such infrastructure.

There may even be legal action by  whose treaty rights and interests may have been infringed upon by the Greenbelt decisions.

The situation begs an explanation of the government鈥檚 behaviour in response to the episode. Some have suggested simple stubbornness and a refusal to accept blame, although Ford himself .

The role of Ford Nation

There鈥檚 a second possibility.

Ontario voters, especially  (also known as ), may simply care more about immediate affordability issues than more abstract notions about evidence-based policymaking, good planning, legal correctness and political accountability.

These are all issues being raised by Ontario鈥檚  and  media, but it鈥檚 unclear whether they resonate with Ford鈥檚 loyal base.

Public opinion polling on the impact of the Greenbelt episode is still relatively preliminary.  of relatively high levels of awareness of the Greenbelt scandal, but its political consequences, particularly nearly three years away from the next provincial election, aren鈥檛 clear.

The longer-term response may give some indication of whether the government has accurately assessed deeper shifts in Ontario鈥檚 , which has traditionally emphasized administrative competence, integrity and moderation.

No vision

Beyond its political impact, the Greenbelt episode, and the government鈥檚 broader approach to planning and development matters, have left the province鈥檚 planning process in discredited shambles.

Once the subject of , the Greenbelt debacle has made it starkly apparent that the  over the past five years have converted the process into an instrument wielded by the province on behalf of the interests of developers.

The government seems to have  for the Greater Toronto Area other than to give the development industry everything it wants and hope that solves the housing crisis.

The industry itself has no vision for the region other than an overriding focus on short-term profit maximization.

Challenges facing the GTA are multidimensional and complex: , particularly at the lower end of the income scale; structural economic transitions and  labour markets;  of a changing climate; and a growing , particularly for the City of Toronto, driven in large part by 

Responding to these challenges will require planning and decision-making processes grounded in democratic norms, evidence, transparency and accountability 鈥� the  of the Ford government鈥檚 modus operandi.

By Professor Mark Winfield, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, 91亚色.

This article is republished from 

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