An ongoing Ontario Provincial Police investigation involving Parthi Kandavel is reportedly connected to a controversial highrise development proposal in Scarborough that became the subject of a lengthy legal battle before the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).
According to reports, investigators are examining matters related to a proposed development at 708-712 Kennedy Rd. in Toronto, located within Kandavel’s Scarborough Southwest ward.
The OPP confirmed that the investigation began following a referral from the Toronto Police Service, but provincial police have not disclosed the exact nature of the allegations or whether any charges are anticipated.
Coun. Kandavel publicly acknowledged the investigation in a social media statement Sunday, saying he was “surprised” by the news and intended to resolve the matter quickly.
“I’ve strived to maintain the highest standards of ethics and integrity,” Kandavel wrote, adding that he was still learning details about the allegations.
The development project at the centre of the scrutiny has a long and complicated history dating back to 2022, when property owners first applied to replace two lowrise apartment buildings with residential towers.
The proposal later evolved into plans for 42-storey and 21-storey highrise towers before being revised again during negotiations with the city.
In 2024, the developers appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal after the city failed to make a decision within the required timeframe.
City planning staff opposed the proposal over concerns related to building height and massing, and Toronto city council formally voted to oppose the project at the tribunal.
A key dispute later emerged over whether the development should include retail or commercial space at street level.
In June 2025, the developer proposed building at least 1,500 square feet of retail space if the city agreed to revised plans.
During a city council meeting that same month, Kandavel introduced a motion directing city staff to accept the settlement only if the retail space was increased to a minimum of 4,000 square feet.
The motion also directed the city solicitor to oppose the project at the OLT if the developer refused the larger retail requirement and instructed the city to retain external expert witnesses to support its position.
However, when the matter proceeded before the tribunal, the city reportedly failed to present expert witness testimony supporting the 4,000-square-foot requirement.
In its October 2025 ruling, the Ontario Land Tribunal criticized the city’s position, stating there was insufficient evidence explaining why exactly 4,000 square feet of retail space represented good planning policy.
The tribunal ultimately ruled in favour of the developer and approved the project without requiring any retail space at all — meaning even the initially proposed 1,500 square feet of commercial space will not be built.
The OLT ruling also noted that similar nearby developments had recently been approved without retail components.
The development remains subject to additional secondary requirements, including transportation studies and tenant relocation plans, which must be finalized before July 30, 2026.
Neither the OPP nor Toronto city officials have commented further on how the development project relates to the ongoing investigation.