urban development

Outgoing Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk poses by a railing inside an office atrium

Meet Bonnie Lysyk, the author of the bombshell report on Ontario’s Greenbelt and developer influence

By Emma McIntosh and Fatima Syed

Aug. 21, 2023 13 min. read

The outgoing Ontario auditor general sat down with The Narwhal for an exit interview about...

The Progressive Conservative government is attempting to manage protests, further investigation and other fallout after a scathing report on its opening of the Greenbelt to development.

Greenbelt updates: RCMP launches investigation, Ford reverses changes

By Emma McIntosh and Fatima Syed

Aug. 17, 2023(Updated Oct. 20, 2023) 23 min. read

The RCMP investigation comes weeks after Ontario Premier Doug Ford admitted making a mistake on...

After Ontario's auditor general said his government's decision to build on some Greenbelt land gave "preferential treatment" to specific developers, Premier Doug Ford repeated his claim that building on formerly protected land is necessary so immigrants can achieve the “Ontario dream.”

Doug Ford says building on the Greenbelt will help immigrants achieve the ‘Ontario dream’. Here’s why he’s (still) wrong

Aug. 17, 2023 9 min. read

Doug Ford says any houses built on formerly protected Greenbelt lands will help young people...

A report by auditor general Bonnie Lysyk added key dates to the timeline of the Doug Ford government's development policy decisions around Ontario's protected Greenbelt.

The Doug Ford government and Ontario’s Greenbelt: a timeline

By Fatima Syed, Denise Balkissoon and Emma McIntosh

Aug. 9, 2023 21 min. read

Auditor general’s explosive report adds key dates to the chronology that has confused Ontarians —...

Housing Minister Steve Clark's chief of staff “substantially controlled and directed” the process of removing protected areas from Ontario’s Greenbelt, giving “preferential treatment” to a group of developers, says a new report from outgoing Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk.

Ontario housing minister’s chief of staff chose Greenbelt land parcels to benefit developers: auditor general

Aug. 9, 2023(Updated Aug. 10, 2023) 14 min. read

A high-ranking political staffer in Premier Doug Ford’s government “substantially controlled and directed” the process...

Beachgoers at Long Point provincial park often climb the sand dunes to seek shade. Signs about the dunes' fragility are few, and light on information.

Footprints in the sand: what you don’t know can really hurt the Great Lakes’ fragile dunes

By Denise Balkissoon

Aug. 8, 2023 9 min. read

From accelerating erosion to introducing invasive species, there are a whole lot of reasons for...

Death notice for Grace, the 125 year old Ontario snapping turtle

The mysterious death of Grace, a beloved 125-year-old snapping turtle

July 28, 2023 9 min. read

Citizens and conservationists across Ontario’s Haliburton County worked for years to protect Grace from speeding...

An illustration of a downtown Winnipeg building on a street corner painted over with red, orange and yellow hues

In Canada’s coldest city, homes were built for warmth. Now they’re way, way too hot

By Julia-Simone Rutgers

July 26, 2023 13 min. read

As apartments and seniors’ residences become ‘heat boxes’ in Winnipeg, residents and advocates are calling...

Ontario Greenbelt: an aerial view of farmland and forest

Duffins Rouge was the Greenbelt’s ‘crown jewel.’ Over 5 days in June, developers bought 524 acres of it

By Emma McIntosh, Noor Javed and Sheila Wang

July 25, 2023 9 min. read

Developers spent about $173 million this June to scoop up land in an ecologically important...

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