The following is a statement from Township of King Mayor Steve Pellegrini regarding information submitted to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario and shared with media on Feb. 1, 2023, by incoming Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles.
Township of King, Ont.—“I was disappointed to read yesterday of the false information being disseminated by Marit Stiles, the incoming leader of the Provincial NDP, regarding the Township of King and the Greenbelt. I was equally disappointed that Ms. Stiles did not reach out to King to check the facts.
It is important to know that I have not spoken with the Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, or Premier Doug Ford, about the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine in King.
Meeting with the Rice Group
The incoming NDP leader mentions a meeting with the Rice Group and the Township. The Township did meet with the Rice Group just prior to the Province’s announcement of redistribution of land identified as Greenbelt. It is common to meet with new landowners in the municipality.
Hospital proposed for King
Ms. Stiles mentions the discussion of a hospital on Greenbelt land in King. The idea of a hospital in King is not a new one. I have been moving this idea forward since 2019—on different lands, with different landowners. At the time of our meeting, I brought the idea of a hospital forward to the Rice Group and they were open to discussion.
Southlake Regional Health Centre needs a new location, and King is open to providing it. This is not a done deal. It is a complex decision that needs to be made by Southlake with the Province. King is one of many nearby municipalities that is interested in hosting the hospital.
Notably, the Province does not require the removal of lands from the Greenbelt to build a hospital. They may build Provincial infrastructure on any lands that they deem suitable.
King’s commitment to Green Space
King Township has a solid track record of protecting and enhancing our natural areas, including the Greenbelt and the Oak Ridges Moraine. King has two Council resolutions related to these lands that have been sent to the Province.
I sincerely hope that when referencing King in the future, Ms. Stiles does her homework, recognizing our commitment to the green space around us and the resolutions Council has brought forward to ensure we protect our municipality.
We should all be working together for the future of Ontario.”
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Media Contact
Donna L. Kell, APR, Manager of Communications and Public Engagement
Township of King | Phone: 416-420-7492 | Email: dkell@king.ca