‘Crazy lefties’: Ford denounces Supreme Court challenge of law allowing Ontario Place redevelopment

Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls a group challenging his government’s legislation concerning the redevelopment of Ontario Place a bunch of “crazy lefties” intent on protecting “two trees or three birds.”

The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday it will hear an appeal from the coalition Ontario Place Protectors, which is challenging the provincial Rebuilding Ontario Place Act on the basis that it insulates state action from scrutiny by the courts and therefore violates the Constitution.

The coalition also argued that exemptions from environmental and heritage laws and municipal noise regulations amount to a breach of public trust.

The urban park on the Toronto waterfront, opened in 1971, included a theatre that showed movies on a huge screen, children’s play areas and several pavilions suspended above the water.

The Ontario government plans to redevelop Ontario Place to include an elaborate spa operated by a private company.

Eric Gillespie, lawyer for Ontario Place Protectors, said many people may not be aware of what the provincial legislation means for future projects.

“Many Ontario residents, and people all over the world, view Ontario Place as iconic, so there was obviously a very direct threat to Ontario Place as a result of the government’s actions. Beyond that, this appeared to be just the first step of the government trying to impose this kind of legislation right across the province,” Gillespie tells 680 NewsRadio.

The Ford government has said in the past that the legislation helps eliminate red tape, which prevents them from building new things and building them faster.

“In this case, I think the problem is balance,” explained Gillespie. “Clearly, people want projects to move ahead efficiently, but at the same time, to remove every single right of every Ontario resident to do anything in our court system other than a judicial review, the bottom line is many people believe that’s just going way too far.”

An Ontario judge dismissed the application, and a challenge of the ruling in the provincial Court of Appeal was also unsuccessful.

Writing on behalf of a unanimous Court of Appeal, Justice Grant Huscroft said that there was no doubt that the government’s decision to redevelop Ontario Place is strongly opposed by a number of concerned citizens and organizations.

Political opposition to the plan has not swayed the government, and the coalition has turned to the court in an effort to stop it, Huscroft said.

“But there is no basis for the court to do so. The court is not an alternative forum for resolving political grievances. The only legitimate question for the court is whether the impugned provisions of ROPA violate the law or the Constitution,” he wrote. 

“They do not, and the appeal must be dismissed.”

The coalition then sought leave to appeal from the Supreme Court.

When asked about the case on Thursday, Ford said he doesn’t understand why the group is taking the matter all the way to the Supreme Court.

“I think it’s a bunch of crazy lefties that want to protect one tree or two trees or three birds,” he said during an unrelated announcement on Thursday. “The Supreme Court wants to look at it. That’s fine.”

“These same people, mark my words – the small group, very small – are going to be lined up to go through Ontario Place to go through the beautiful trails, to go by the marina, to go to a concert, go to the Ontario Science Centre, go to the waterpark.”

The top court, following its usual practice, gave no reasons Thursday for agreeing to hear the case. No date for a hearing has been set, though it is likely to be this year.