Wilmot councillor calls for region to apologize after plowing over corn crop

A Wilmot Township councillor is asking the Region of Waterloo to apologize after the region plowed over a corn crop on land it had recently purchased.

Coun. Harvir Sidhu posted on Facebook Thursday saying he learned the region had plowed the crop from residents. He said it was disrespectful that the region didn't tell council about the action or consult them.

"Probably because they knew we would do everything we could to stop it," he wrote in the post.

"There is a right and wrong way to do things, this process has been mishandled since Day 1. Our community deserves an apology."

Sidhu was not available for an interview on Friday to talk about his social media post.

The Region of Waterloo owns the land where the corn was growing. It bought it as part of plans to purchase 770 acres of land in Wilmot Township. The region has said it needs the lands for future industrial purposes.

In March, 12 landowners were told the region wanted to buy their land. They say they've been told if they did not sell the land, it would be expropriated. Some have sold their properties while others say they don't want to sell and argue farmland should not be used for industrial purposes.

The region's plan has been praised by some local business leaders who say the community needs to be ready for large, industrial projects.

The region confirmed to CBC News in a written statement that it plowed the crop of corn " to complete studies as part of the continued due diligence process."

Sidhu has spoken out about the region's plans before. In June, he held a press conference and called on the region to be more transparent about their plans with the land.

During Monday night's council meeting, people sat in the township's council chambers, some with signs that read "save our farmland."

Alfred Lowrick, spokesperson for the affected landowners, said he saw new faces joining them in protesting the region's plan.

"New people came forward from the community to say this is wrong," he said.