Developers’ complaints allegedly part of Parthi Kandavel probe: Report

Scarborough Southwest councillor said on Sunday that he was surprised to hear about OPP investigation

Published May 12, 2026  •  2 minute read

Parthi Kandavel listens during a meeting at the Toronto District School Board head office in North York, Ont., during his time as a trustee on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015. Photo by Jack Boland

The OPP’s investigation of Toronto Councillor Parthi Kandavel reportedly has links to two Scarborough properties with developers allegedly raising concerns about being asked for money to get the proposals through city council, sources told CTV News Toronto.

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The OPP confirmed to the Toronto Sun on Monday afternoon that it was actively investigating allegations against Kandavel, but did not reveal the details.

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“The Ontario Provincial Police can confirm an active investigation related to allegations against Councillor Kandavel,” OPP spokesperson Tracey Mellersh said.

“The investigation is ongoing and we are unable to provide further comment or details at this time.”

A property at 708-712 Kennedy Rd. in the Scarborough Junction neighbourhood that lies within Parthi Kandavel’s ward. Photo by Google Maps

Councillor ‘surprised’ by investigation

The Scarborough Southwest councillor since 2023, Kandavel said on his Instagram account on Sunday that 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 his post.

A city hall source told CTV News that in the case of one Scarborough property on Kennedy Rd., developers allegedly raised concerns about being asked to pay money to move that project forward. The source also said, however, that they were unsure if the allegations were true with CTV News clarifying that developers are “often” asked to pay a community benefits charge to improve infrastructure in the area.

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In that case, two four-storey brick buildings are slated to be replaced by a 21-storey tower and a 42-storey tower with 682 units in total close to Kennedy Station.

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Development was rejected

The broadcaster also reported that in 2024, city staff, citing concerns about the building’s size, didn’t approve of that development and opposed the project “in its current form.”

The dispute, according to CTV News, went to the Ontario Land Tribunal, which settles conflicts between developers and municipalities, and city records showed that Kandavel was behind a motion to settle that dispute in June 2025. The motion passed.

In the second case, a developer’s agent at another Scarborough property, who asked to remain anonymous, told CTV News he was approached by an OPP officer about an “alleged potential arrangement at the property.” The source said the developer was allegedly asked to pay a “considerable” amount of money to move the project along and they didn’t believe it was part of the community benefits process.

A query from the Toronto Sun to Kandavel regarding the allegations in the CTV News article wasn’t immediately answered.

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