Release the Number: Doug Ford’s Air Rights Scandal

The government knows how many millions it paid Doug Ford's best friend. You should too. Sign the petition.

Doug Ford’s close personal friend and associate — a PC fundraiser who sat at the Premier’s own table at his daughter’s wedding — just collected a secret taxpayer payout for something lawyers are calling unprecedented: air rights he couldn’t build on and never actually owned. Literally air. The government knows the number. You don’t. Sign this petition and demand they release it.

To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario,

WHEREAS Metrolinx, a provincially funded Crown agency, reached a confidential settlement with Craft Kingsmen Rail (East) Corp. regarding the expropriation of air rights near Toronto’s Union Station; and 

WHEREAS Craft Kingsmen Rail (East) Corp., whose directors include Carmine Nigro, reportedly sought approximately $500 million in compensation from Metrolinx through proceedings before the Ontario Land Tribunal; and 

WHEREAS public reporting indicates that the company had not finalized ownership of the air rights before they were expropriated, yet still pursued substantial compensation from taxpayers; and 

WHEREAS Carmine Nigro is a close personal friend of Doug Ford — attending the Premier’s daughter’s wedding as a guest at his table — and has received multiple prominent appointments at the Premier’s hand, including Chair of the LCBO, Chair of the Ontario Place Corporation, and board member of Invest Ontario, raising serious questions about why someone with such a close personal and political relationship to the Premier has financially benefitted from this matter; and

WHEREAS Metrolinx, the Minister of Transportation, and the Premier’s Office have all declined to disclose the value of the settlement despite the fact that public funds are involved; and

WHEREAS Ontarians deserve transparency and accountability whenever taxpayer dollars are used in legal settlements involving politically connected individuals or companies; 

WE, the UNDERSIGNED, call upon the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to: 

  1. Direct Metrolinx and the Government of Ontario to publicly disclose the full financial value of the settlement reached with Craft Kingsmen Rail (East) Corp.;
  2. Release all non-privileged records related to the negotiation and approval of the settlement; 
  3. Ensure future settlements involving public agencies and taxpayer funds are subject to stronger transparency and disclosure requirements; 
  4. Restore public trust by reaffirming that no politically connected individual or company receives preferential treatment behind closed doors.

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