OPINION: After the auditor general’s explosive Greenbelt report, resignations and further investigations are the only way to restore some sense of integrity

  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Look at it this way…

    Ford claims that this will provide 50,000 homes. His developer friends will make $8 billion in profit.

    Easy math…

    $8,000,000,000 / 50,000 homes = $160,000/home

    Imagine how much more good those homes could do if they cost $160,000 less each.

    Sure, the developers deserve to make a profit but maybe, just maybe, if other developers had had a chance to get in there the people of Ontario might have gotten better value for their land.

    • EhForumUser@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      His developer friends will make $8 billion in profit.

      $8 billion is the estimated increase in property values based on MPAC figures, which are notoriously low at the best of times, and now not even connected with reality as they were ordered to not reassess properties when COVID started. They are currently fixed to the assessment done in 2016.

      “Citing the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, which is responsible for calculating property values in Ontario, Lysyk estimates the landowners of the 15 sites that were removed could see their value increase by $8.3 billion.”https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-auditor-general-greenbelt-report-1.6930390

      You’d have to dig into the land registry to know how much profit potential is actually there on the sale of the land. It records the initial purchase price.

      • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Government procurement is supposed to be open and transparent so that the people get the best value. 15 of 16 being rich developer friends of the premier does not suggest that the people are getting the best value.

        • EhForumUser@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          The land registry contains the actual amount paid. You don’t have to guess based on MPAC figures from seven years ago. It is for tax purposes, not profitability calculations.

          • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            If it’s all above board why did 15 of 16 actions benefit his buddies?

            Trudeau took a vacation with an old family friend and “conservatives” lost their minds. They’re still flogging that dead horse to this day. Why are you out here apologizing for this clear and will documented corruption by a “Conservative” government?

            • EhForumUser@lemmy.ca
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              1 year ago

              Is there a reason you believe MPAC numbers are more accurate than what is contained in the land registry?

              • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Sorry…you were going to tell my why you think this was completely above board when 15 of 16 changed benefited Doug Ford’s rich developer buddies.

                • EhForumUser@lemmy.ca
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                  1 year ago

                  No, I wasn’t. I have no reason for a new topic, especially one so boring. What is one going to even say other than repeat the same speculation made a million times before? I know nothing more than you do with respect to your question and it is likely that I know a lot less. I defer to your expertise.

                  Our discussion about understanding why you decided to use MPAC prices in your comment was just fine, and one not needing someone to guess arbitrarily for no reason. Using MPAC figures may have been a reasonable choice, but we are looking for you to explain your reason for choosing this particular methodology amid its obvious pitfalls.

                  • Maple Engineer@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    No, we weren’t. We were talking about the abject corruption of the Ford Government. You tried to turn it into a pedantic argument about the source of my numbers.

                    So, about that abject corruption. Why do you think that 15 of 16 of the changes benefited Doug Ford’s rich developer friends, you know the ones, they attended his daughters wedding and got fat, government patronage appointments?