The man at the centre of the auditor-general’s damning report on the Greenbelt land swap is explaining why he stepped down two weeks after Bonnie Lysyk released it.

In his resignation letter, Ryan Amato says public statements have unfairly depicted him and his role in the process, making it impossible for him to continue in his role as he doesn’t want to be a distraction from more housing getting built.

Amato is also confident he acted appropriately and that a fair, complete investigation would reach the same conclusion.

Meanwhile, Official Opposition Leader Marit Stiles says ”the rot starts at the top.”

”There’s no way this single staff member acted alone to rig the system,” adds the NDP leader.

Stiles goes on to say Doug Ford doesn’t get to wash his hands of this.

That it’s time Amato’s former boss, Housing Minister Steve Clark, do the right thing and step down, and for Ford to recall the Legislature and restore the Greenbelt.