Half of the remaining members of Ontario's Greenbelt Council have followed their former chairman's lead by stepping down in protest of pending environmental reforms.
Six members, all appointed under the previous Liberal government, resigned from the council on Sunday in the wake of a similar move by former Conservative federal cabinet minister and Toronto mayor David Crombie.
Crombie's resignation notice said he was leaving the chairmanship in response to measures contained in the Progressive Conservatives' omnibus budget bill that he argues would gut key environmental protections.
Crombie contends Schedule 6 of the bill would strip power from local conservation authorities and expand ministerial authority on zoning and other potentially sensitive environmental issues.
The six outgoing members all voiced the same concerns in their respective resignation letters and accused the government of ignoring Council advice and adopting reckless environmental policies.
Their departures leave just six members on the Council, five of whom were appointed since Premier Doug Ford took office in 2018.