Adil Shamji
Ontario Liberal Party
Adil Shamji is the Ontario Liberal Housing Critic and MPP for Don Valley East. He has been a vocal opponent of the Ford government's housing legislation, including Bill 98, arguing that the bill's approach to planning deregulation fails to address the real barriers to housing affordability and removes important protections for homebuyers and communities.
Connected Scandals
Ford's Bill 98 would permanently strip Ontario municipalities of the power to require EV charging, tree canopy, bird-friendly glass, and energy standards from developers — handing a legislative victory to RESCON, the industry lobby already suing Toronto in court over the same rules. Cities have already frozen new green standard programs in anticipation.
As the Ontario Liberal Housing Critic, Shamji publicly opposed Bill 98's rollback of municipal planning authority and green building standards, arguing the government's approach fails homebuyers while benefiting developers.
Ford's Bill 98 strips Toronto and the TTC Board of all authority over fares, service standards, and transit governance — handing the Minister of Transportation unchecked power to set prices, zones, and routes for the first time in over a century. Transit workers, riders, city council, and even TTC management are unanimous in opposition, but Ford's majority means the bill will pass.
Shamji opposed Bill 98's transit provisions, raising concerns about the impact on affordable housing near transit hubs and the broader pattern of provincial override of municipal democratic decisions.