Region and province in 'lockstep' on Wilmot land purchase, chair 'surprised' by ministers' comments
'We wanted to be much more proactive, but we were denied the ability to do that,' Chair Karen Redman says
Comments by two provincial ministers about how the Region of Waterloo is handling the purchase of lands in Wilmot Township has left the regional chair "surprised" and "confused."
In a joint statement released Thursday morning, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP and Minister of Red Tape Reduction Mike Harris and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli confirmed the province is providing the region with funding.
But they say beyond that, the province is not involved in the land purchase process.
Harris and Fedeli also said they felt they needed to clarify the province's role in the land purchase "given the region's lack of transparency in its land assembly process."
Regional Chair Karen Redman told CBC News she learned of the ministers' statement via social media and immediately reached out to both of them but has yet to hear back.
"I'm surprised and I'm confused because from the very beginning of this project, we worked in lockstep with the province," Redman said in a phone interview.
Please see a joint statement from myself and Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli.<br>Fair, respectful negotiation and consultation is first and foremost and I expect the Region to uphold these principles. <a href="https://t.co/svbtGKB77s">pic.twitter.com/svbtGKB77s</a>
—@mikeharrisjrpcThe Region of Waterloo wants to buy 770 acres (roughly 311 hectares) in Wilmot for future industrial use. The region has not said what specifically the land would be used for in the future.
According to Redman, from the beginning of the land assembly process, the region requested more flexibility on purchase timelines and the ability to share more information with the community, but was denied that by the province.
This is where we live, these are our neighbours and this is our community. We wanted to be much more proactive, but we were denied the ability to do that.- Regional Chair Karen Redman
"This is where we live, these are our neighbours and this is our community. We wanted to be much more proactive, but we were denied the ability to do that."
Redman adds she understand the necessity of confidentiality when handling land acquisitions but would have hoped to have been able to move forward in a more transparent manner.
"One of the things that was really evident from the beginning was that the timelines provided from the province were very, very tight," Redman explained.
She says some of the timelines were driven by landowners wanting to sell quickly or who had other factors driving their timeline requests.
"We've tried to be respectful. We would go back to the province and say, 'This landowner needs extra time' and accommodate them again so that it's a fair and equitable deal from the land owner's perspective."
WATCH | 'We fund it and we stand away,' Minister Fedeli says of Wilmot land purchase:
Threat of expropriation
Back in March, 12 landowners who live near the intersection of Nafziger Road and Bleams Road said they were visited by a representative from the private Mississauga-based company Canacre, which says on its website that it helps navigate complex infrastructure projects through the regulatory process.
The person told them the region wanted to buy their properties. The landowners received compensation offers, which some believed were minimal for what the land is worth.
If the landowners refused the offer, they were told their land would be expropriated.
In the minister's joint statement, they said it was disappointing to see how the events have unfolded in the region and Wilmot, "particularly the threat of expropriation at the onset of this project."
But Redman says expropriation was an obligation in the partnership agreement they signed with the province.
"We went to the landowners and we had a third party do this and say there was a land assembly and [the region] was interested … Nobody said 'or we will expropriate your land'. However, under some of the obligations that the region has taken on in its partnership with the province, that is one of the tools in the kit," Redman said.
"It's not a preferred option and we would always want to have a fair and equitable negotiated deal."
Landowner reaction
After hearing the ministers' statement and Chair Redman's response to it, affected Wilmot landowners say they're still unsure who to believe.
Fight for Farmland spokesperson Alfred Lowrick told CBC News while it's important to know the truth, the farmers in particular are facing a pressing issue surrounding timelines.
"Their initial crop is coming off and they're replanting for next year," explained Lowrick. "They've got short-term planning for that to occur but they also have to do long-term planning because they don't know where this is going to go."
The understanding the province has a bigger part in the process that was initially thought, Lowrick says it's important for Wilmot Township council to be the voice of the farmers.
"I don't blame the local township leadership because they're at a loss of what's going on and we are certainly just trying to poke holes all over the place," said Lowrick.
"Obviously we've got a little bit of reaction now. Hopefully the provincial government with Michael Harris Jr. will come forward with some statements and we can all come to a realization where this is all going to go, the timelines and what is being planned."
Land assembly will continue
In July, the region said it had purchased nearly a third of the sought land and on-site technical analysis would soon begin.
According to the region, shovel-ready land is necessary because "over the last several years, Waterloo region has lost potential investment opportunities from major employers" due to not having appropriate sites available.
This comes as the region prepares for one million residents by 2050.
"It's a major investment and there's certainly people in the community that have said they see the benefits and we believe that this is how we prepare to be a million people," said Redman.
The plan to buy the land has been applauded by a group called BESTWR, which is made up of the heads of local chambers of commerce, the Waterloo Economic Development Corp., Communitech and Explore Waterloo Region.
The group wrote in an April 5 open letter that "this is a critical time" in the region "that requires bold action."
Redman says the region remains committed to working with the province on the Wilmot township land purchase.
"There is no doubt that this land assembly and shovel-ready site that has this number of acres will attract billions of dollars and thousands of jobs," she said.
"I must say that I'm pleased with the province now lifting the confidentiality obligations and I hope that it will allow for greater transparency as we move forward with our land assembly partnership."
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