A lawsuit alleging two former Progressive Conservative staffers offered to use “backchannel contacts” to help rezone land may have created an opening for opposition leaders to try and focus Ontario’s election campaign on past government scandals.
A statement of claim filed with a Toronto court makes allegations about Ryan Amato, who was chief of staff to Steve Clark when the Ford government briefly removed land from the Greenbelt, and Shiv Raj, who worked in the premier’s office.
The lawsuit alleges the two men, along with a company called Frontier Group, offered to help get rezoning approval for several parcels of land “using their backchannel contacts and political connections to facilitate and secure rezoning approvals for the Properties.”
According to the statement of claim, the men did not work seriously on the rezoning and instead allegedly undertook an “orchestrated conspiracy to defraud.”
The allegations, which have not been tested in court, were first reported by The Trillium.
Amato and Raj’s lawyer said the statement of claim “contains false and baseless accusations.” The lawyer for Frontier Group also said they plan to defend the allegations.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, a Brampton man named Amanpreet Jakhar and two numbered companies, allege they met with Amato, Raj and a representative of Frontier, who told them they could help with a rezoning request.
“Shiv [Raj] and Ryan [Amato] falsely represented at the meeting that they had the experience and expertise to assist in obtaining a rezoning of the Properties and they would work with Frontier Group, using their backchannel contacts and political connections to facilitate and secure rezoning approvals for the Properties,” the claim alleges.
The parties came to an agreement, according to the claim, where the plaintiffs would pay $55,600 plus tax monthly for help rezoning. The alleged agreement included a plan for meetings with the premier’s office and disclosure of their work on the lobby registry, the claim said.
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The lawsuit alleges Amato and Raj said the land could be rezoned within five to eight months.
“It was understood at the time each Agreement was executed that Shiv and Ryan would be assisting in the rezoning of the Properties, and in particular in connection with the scope of work involving their respective roles and contacts in the Premier’s Office and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing,” the claim reads.
Progress, however, was slow, according to the claim, which alleges there was no genuine attempt to make progress.
“The Plaintiffs state that the Defendants never had any intention to seek or pursue rezoning approval of the Properties, but instead strung the Plaintiffs along,” the claim argues.
In total, the claim alleges that the plaintiffs paid Frontier Group $1.5 million.
The statement of claim says the first meeting took place in the summer of 2023 but it is not clear if the alleged agreement or other events took place while Amato and Raj were still in their government roles.
The lawsuit argues Amato, Raj and Frontier were negligent and breached their contract, among other claims. It seeks more than $2 million in damages.
The lawyer representing Amato and Raj vehemently denied the claims.
“The Statement of Claim contains false and baseless accusations which do not reflect the high level of integrity and professionalism that Mr. Amato holds himself to,” the lawyer representing Amato and Raj said in a statement to Global News.
“Mr. Amato has acted in full compliance with the law and will defend any claims to the contrary in court if called upon to do so.”
An identical statement attributed to Raj denied the allegations using the same wording and similarly promised to fight a court battle if necessary.
The legal representative for Frontier said they wouldn’t comment while the allegations were in front of the court, adding: “Do keep in mind that the allegations in the lawsuit are simply that. My clients will vigorously defend the claim, as necessary.”
The allegations contained in the statement of claim, and not proven in court, have been jumped on by Ford’s opponents.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles issued a statement claiming the allegations contained in the lawsuit were similar to questions about how land was removed from, and then returned to, the Greenbelt.
“The other shoe dropped, and it is just as bad as we thought,” she said.
“Time and time again, Doug Ford has shown us who he is — someone who used his time in government to enable billions of dollars’ worth of corruption, oversee backroom deals to enrich insiders, and create a culture of cash-for-access to sell off our province for bags of cash.”
Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie started her remarks at a campaign event on Thursday with reference to the lawsuit.
“It’s outrageous but it’s not surprising,” she said. “We knew all along that this is who Doug Ford really is.”
Ford was asked about the lawsuit earlier in the week and denied any knowledge of it.
“I’ve never heard of this, first time I’ve heard of this,” Ford said on Tuesday at a campaign event in Ottawa.
“I don’t play those games, I focus on taking care of the people,” he added, saying anyone who was guilty of background dealing in his government would be “fired instantly” and said it “doesn’t happen” under his watch.
In a statement to The Canadian Press Thursday, the PC campaign repeated the denial.
“The premier is unaware of this lawsuit, and the province has no involvement in it nor has it ever considered any changes to these properties,” said Grace Lee, Ford’s campaign spokesperson.
Opposition parties also used the lawsuit to try and make the Greenbelt scandal, which dominated the summer of 2023 and led to the resignation of two cabinet ministers, an election issue.
“The buck stops with Doug Ford,” Crombie said.
“Scandal after scandal after scandal under his watch. We know that he tried to give away the Greenbelt to his rich friends and buddies and we know that the RCMP is already investigating his government and we know, frankly, that’s why we’re in an early election.”
In late 2022, Clark announced the government would open up the protected Greenbelt for development in an effort to build 50,000 homes. It was part of Ford’s promise to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.
The auditor general said the small group of developers stood to benefit to the tune of $8.3 billion.
Opening up the Greenbelt sparked a public outcry that hit a fever pitch in the summer of 2023.
Ford walked the decision back and returned those lands to the Greenbelt in the fall of 2023.
— with files from The Canadian Press