Developers complained about demands by Toronto councillor facing OPP probe: sources

A Toronto councillor says he’s the subject of an Ontario Provincial Police probe and is working to find out more about the nature of the allegations.

An OPP investigation into a Toronto councillor appears to have connections to at least two properties in the councillor’s ward, sources tell CTV News Toronto.

In the first case, a four-story brick building on track to become a high rise on Kennedy Road, developers complained that Toronto Coun. Parthi Kandavel was asking for money to move the project forward, according to one city hall source.

That source said they were not sure if the developers’ concerns were true, just that they had raised them.

It is not unusual for a city councillor to take an active role in a planning process. Developers are often asked to pay for a community benefits charge – a process established under the Planning Act that asks developers to pay for certain community infrastructure and other benefits.

In a separate property also in Kandavel’s ward of Scarborough Southwest, a developer’s representative told CTV News Toronto that he had been approached by an OPP officer looking to understand an alleged potential arrangement at that property.

The representative, who asked for anonymity to not prejudice that project’s chances at council, claimed that Kandavel had asked for a “considerable” amount of money to have the development move forward.

The representative said they did not believe this was part of the community benefits charge process.

The OPP confirmed that it was investigating in a statement but released few details about the reason for the probe.

“The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) can confirm an active investigation related to allegations against Councillor Kandavel. The investigation is ongoing and we are unable to provide further comment or details at this time,” spokesperson Tracey Mellersh said.

Probe pertains to 2 properties: sources

Kandavel, a former teacher and school trustee who has been the Scarborough Southwest councillor since 2023, said on Sunday he was “surprised” to hear that the OPP was investigating allegations against him.

“I recognize this is difficult news and hope to resolve the situation quickly,” he said in a post on social media.

“I’ve worked hard to earn the trust of the people of Scarborough Southwest, which I take seriously. I’ve strived to maintain the highest standards of ethics and integrity and will address any allegations that suggest otherwise. I’m still learning more about the investigation and the nature of the allegations, and will share more as I can,” he said.

The allegations come only months before councillors will be campaigning for re-election in October.

Toronto mayor not commenting

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement that she “will not comment on an active investigation.”

“The residents of Toronto expect every councillor and the mayor to act with integrity,” she said.

The existence of the investigation was first reported by Toronto Today.

The OPP investigation has not resulted in charges at this point, and if it eventually does, Kandavel would be presumed innocent until proven in court.

When asked about allegations that the demands to developers were beyond the usual process, a staffer working for Kandavel said, “the Councillor has nothing to share beyond his statement.”

In the case of one property on Kennedy Road, the city hall source said developers had come forward with concerns about being asked to pay money to move that project forward, though it was not clear how much.

In that case, two four-story brick buildings are slated to be replaced by a 21-storey tower and a 42-storey tower with 682 units in total, a short distance from transit at Kennedy Subway Station.

Initially in 2024, city staff didn’t approve of the development, saying they had concerns about the building’s size and that they “oppose the project in its current form.”

That sparked a dispute that went to the Ontario Land Tribunal, an appeal body that settles conflicts between developers and municipalities.

City records show that Kandavel introduced a motion to settle that dispute in June 2025, and the motion passed.

The property owners at the Kennedy Road land didn’t respond to messages from CTV News.