A real estate developer of Ontario alleges that two former employees of the Ford government, including one in the center of the Greenbelt scandal, promised to use their influence on Queen’s Park so that several land plots are rezonified.
In exchange for access to their “Back -Channel and political connections” contacts, the developer would pay the couple through a GTA construction management company to “make their participation less transparent”, a claim statement presented at the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in December alleges in December.
Both men still worked for the progressive conservative government of Ontario when the alleged agreement was made in the summer of 2023.
The details of the demand were first reported by the Trillium this week.
The accusations against Ryan Amato, Shiv Raj and the Border Group of Business, as well as its founder and vice president, have not been tested in court.
A lawyer who represents Amato and Raj said that the claim statement contains “false and foundation accusations” and that both men “acted in full compliance with the law and defend any claim otherwise.”
Amato was head of the Cabinet of the former Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of Ontario, Steve Clark, when the province announced that it would open land in the Cebte Green for development. He resigned from his position in August 2023, weeks after the General Auditor concluded that the Plan unfairly favored a select group of developers who benefited in more than $ 8 billion.
Subsequently, Ontario’s integrity commissioner discovered that Amato was “the driving force” behind the selection of green belt land for development. The government of Prime Minister Doug Ford finally reversed his decision of Beling Green the following month.
The Affair Greenbelt is currently under investigation by the RCMP.
The Mounties are interviewing possible witnesses linked to the government of the Prime Minister of Ontario, Doug Ford, in the criminal investigation of Greenbelt land exchange. The head of the Toronto Star Park Office, Rob Benzie, who broke the story, updates the power and politics about who is being questioned. When asked about the investigation, Prime Minister Ford said his government is cooperating and has “nothing to hide.”
Raj was Director of Operations at the 2019 Ford office to 2023. He is currently voluntary in the PC electoral campaign. A campaign spokesman said in an email that “the prime minister does not know this demand, and the province has no participation in it or has considered any change in these properties.”
Up to $ 190K in monthly rates, the demand alleges
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Amanpreet Jakhar, owner of a property of $ 2.5 million in Oakville, and two numbered corporations that have properties in Grimsby and London bought for $ 4.27 million and $ 760,000, respectively, the judicial documents said.
The plaintiffs seek $ 2.25 million and accuse Amato, Raj and border of negligence, breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, unfair enrichment and conspiracy, among other accusations.
According to the statement declaration, Jakhar met with the defendants in the summer of 2023 and soon signed agreements written with Frontier, and made oral agreements with Amato and Raj, to ensure his help so that each of the three properties would reason within five to eight to eight. months.
It was agreed that Amato and Shiv “would provide lobbying services that take advantage of their connections” in the Ministry of Housing and the Premier office to ensure rezoning approvals, alleges the demand. The couple would be paid through the border “to hide their participation from the outside world,” says the claim statement.
Jakhar and the numbered corporations were collectively paying the defendants up to $ 190,000 per month for their services, says the demand, and paid a total of $ 1.5 million in rates in the course of the agreements, according to judicial documents.
The lawsuit states that Amato, Raj and Frontier did “little or no work” to obtain rezoning approvals, but misrepresented their efforts during the duration of the agreements. He also says that Amato and Raj had to register as adjusted councils as part of their work, but they never did.
None of the three properties had been rezon when the demand was presented in mid -December.
A lawyer from the Border Group of Business did not respond to a request for comments.
