Toronto, ON - Councillor Josh Matlow announced today that he will be bringing a motion to the upcoming meeting of Council requesting that the City of Toronto to seek intervenor status in the ongoing court case brought by the Ontario Place Protectors to challenge the constitutionality of the Rebuilding Ontario Place Act, 2023 (ROPA). As this case goes to the Supreme Court, city hall should have their backs.
The stakes are high. This is not just about saving our waterfront, it’s about protecting the rule of law in our city and province. This legislation is a direct threat to our democracy. It strips away our public rights, removes transparency, and shields government decisions from meaningful public accountability.
ROPA immunizes the government from any “remedy in contract, restitution, tort, misfeasance, bad faith, trust or fiduciary obligation, any equitable remedy or any remedy under any statute”. This is part of a larger pattern of the Ford government protecting itself from accountability for the decisions that they make which benefit themselves and their friends against the public interest.
The Act also exempts the government from any responsibilities under the Environmental Assessment Act, which many suspect would reveal catastrophic impacts not only on the natural environment but also on infrastructure and traffic.
For years, Doug Ford has been testing the boundaries of our democracy, including recently announcing that he plans to exempt himself from Freedom of Information laws. This bill, if allowed to stand, will set a dangerous precedent - permitting the Premier to put his own interests ahead of the public good.
Torontonians deserve to be represented in this case. And when residents are willing to show leadership for our city’s interests, they deserve to know that City Hall has their backs.
Four months after Doug Ford announced his intention to bring jets to Billy Bishop Airport, the Federal Government published a letter on July 24 stating they would not be supporting the project at this time.
And Carney’s Liberals made some important commitments: they will not pursue any plans that infringe on public spaces such as Little Norway Park or Hanlan’s Point Beach, result in elevated noise, have significant environmental impacts, or hinder Toronto’s ability to build much-needed new housing such as in planned neighbourhoods like Ookwemin Minising.
This was a big victory that was achieved by tens of thousands of Torontonians who made it clear that Doug Ford’s voice isn’t the only one that matters. However, while we celebrate this win, we must also read Ottawa’s letter with sober eyes. It wasn’t an announcement that an expansion will never happen — it was meant to set the grounds for a conversation. We must prepare for what’s next.