Ontario Privacy Commissioner Investigating Deleted Greenbelt Emails

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Patricia Kosseim, has announced that she will be publishing a special report regarding the use of non-government emails and deleted messages related to the Greenbelt controversy. This decision comes after NDP Leader Marit Stiles raised concerns about the premier and government staffers’ reported use of personal phones and emails in relation to the Greenbelt issue.

The controversy surrounding the Greenbelt began in late 2022 when the Doug Ford government decided to remove land from the protected Greenbelt in order to build 50,000 homes. This decision sparked public outcry and led to investigations by both the auditor general and the integrity commissioner, who found that the process favored certain developers. As a result, Ford eventually reversed course on the decision.

The RCMP is currently conducting an investigation into the Greenbelt removal process, adding another layer of scrutiny to the situation. In response to these concerns, Kosseim’s office is working on 19 active access-to-information appeals that are similar to the issues raised by Stiles.

The privacy commissioner did not provide a specific timeline for when the special report would be published, but she emphasized the importance of transparency in government actions. Kosseim stated in a letter to Stiles that the report would consolidate findings and provide insights into access to information and record-keeping issues related to changes in the Greenbelt.

The auditor general’s separate investigation revealed that political staff had used both personal and government emails in the Greenbelt file, and that emails related to the land swap had been deleted, actions that were deemed inappropriate.

Stiles welcomed the privacy commissioner’s special report, stating that it would provide a clearer understanding of the government’s conduct in the Greenbelt controversy. The Greenbelt was created in 2005 to protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area from development.

Overall, the publication of this special report is expected to shed light on the actions taken by government officials in relation to the Greenbelt issue and provide accountability for any inappropriate behavior that may have occurred.