What is Flato?
Flato is a development company that builds housing developments and commercial spaces across Ontario.
Flato spends tens of thousands of dollars on advertising in communities where it hopes to build, in addition to making donations to various organizations in those communities.
Flato's president, Mr. Shakir Rehmatullah, frequently talks about wanting to be "friends" with the community where he builds. However, the actions of Flato in those communities are characterized less by friendship and more by coercion and deception. For instance:
Flato does not respect the wishes of local citizens.
The way in which Flato forces its plans on unwilling communities is evident most clearly in its use of Ministerial Zoning Orders to over-ride the wishes of local communities. You can find out more about Flato's use of Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs) here.
It would appear that Flato engages in deception to procure land.
In Cameron, irregularities occurred in at least two of the land deals that led to Flato's purchase of the land slated for the "Cameron Project." You can find out more about the irregularities in these land purchases here.
Land owned by Flato in Cameron was illegally cleared.
In addition, shortly after Flato took possession of the farms on Rancher's Road, machinery appeared and started illegally clearing environmentally sensitive areas. You can find out more about this destruction here.