Eighteen MZOs granted to guests at Premier Ford’s daughter’s wedding: NDP

Ontario Premier Doug Ford enters a room to speak to journalists at the Queens Park Legislature in Toronto on Sept. 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young.

By The Canadian Press

Posted Oct 30, 2023 12:05:22 PM.

Last Updated Oct 30, 2023 01:42:53 PM.

Ontario’s New Democrats say the province has given out 18 Minister’s Zoning Orders for developer projects to guests who attended a wedding of Premier Doug Ford’s daughter last summer.

The land-planning tool can be used to fast-track development in a given area and the Progressive Conservative government has been criticized in the past for how often it uses the mechanism also known as an MZO.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles says being friends with Ford has its benefits.

The NDP say nine of those 18 MZOs were given to Flato Developments owner Shakir Rehmatullah.

Former minister Kaleed Rasheed resigned along with Ford’s former housing policy director after revelations they went to Las Vegas with Rehmatullah and the premier’s former principal secretary.

Housing Minister Paul Calandra says he is conducting a review of the zoning orders but says the province will continue to use MZOs to build housing faster.

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