'Absolutely astounding': Wilmot group pushes back against newly secured land
Advocates are troubled by news Waterloo region continues to acquire farmland for industrial use
Critics of the Region of Waterloo's plans to purchase farmland in Wilmot Township for a future industrial site say it's "absolutely astounding" the region continues on with the project.
On Wednesday, the Region of Waterloo announced it has secured 70 per cent of the land it wants for the site. The region noted it hasn't necessarily purchased the land — instead the region has entered into an agreement to purchase the land.
Wilmot Civic Action Network, or WilmotCAN is a community organization of Wilmot Township residents who advocate for the community. They've long been active, along with Fight for Farmland, in the push for greater transparency and accountability from the region about the assembly.
According to spokesperson Kevin Thomason, that transparency has yet to be seen.
"It is just absolutely astounding the bullying tactics that they've used right from the onset," he said.
The bullying Thomason is referring to is the initial threat of expropriation that many of the landowners said they faced if they were unwilling to sell their land. He said he's not aware that any of the affected parties have heard from the region in months.
"Those farmers wake up every single day wondering, 'Is today the day they expropriate and I lose my farm?'"
Land needed to prepare for future, region says
In March 2024, 12 landowners of six farmland properties and six residential properties were told the region wanted to purchase their land.
Affected landowners received compensation offers from the region and were told that if they refused to sell, their land could potentially be expropriated.
In the release Wednesday, the region said it is "committed to ensuring fair and equitable agreements for landowners."
On Wednesday, the region held a media briefing and sent a release detailing their success in acquiring 550 of the 770 acres of land near Nafziger Road and Bleams Road that they would turn into a shovel-ready mega-site for future development.
Chair Karen Redman told CBC News K-W that there is not currently an identified end user, meaning there is not yet any plan for development of the land. Instead, she said it was a commitment to "preparing for the future."
Now, the region wants the public to be aware that there will be on-site testing along the land they've acquired.
"It's important for them to know that there will be trucks out on the land. There will be boreholes being dug. There's probably about 35 categories of due diligence that we're doing," said Redman.
WATCH | 70% of Wilmot lands secured by Region of Waterloo:
"And we promised the community that we would be transparent with them."
Wilmot councillors in the past have expressed concern for the lack of transparency on the land assembly proceedings of the region. They have said before that Wilmot residents seem angry about the grab for its lack of certainty and its potential environmental effect.
CBC News reached out to Wilmot councillors for comment but has not yet heard back.
Other groups have supported the project. A group called BestWR — comprised of the presidents of local chambers of commerce, economic development, Communitech and Explore Waterloo Region — penned an open letter in April 2024 supporting the region's plans.
They said business opportunities were actively being lost by the region's lack of co-ordination and available space.
'What's this going to cost?'
On Thursday, WilmotCAN put out two media releases. The first was an initial reaction to the region's news.
The second was a detailed rebuttal of the details of the land grab and they raised a few points they said they've desperately been trying to gain clarity on.
"What's this going to cost? Where is sewage going from and where is water coming from?" said Thomason. He said the region has yet to answer any of the questions, reports or Freedom of Information Acts (FOIs) they've filed in the past.
Redman ssaid Wednesday that the region has lost out on other developments in the past. She said those developments were worth $10 billion and would have meant 5,000 jobs.
"We didn't have a mega-site that was shovel-ready, so they went somewhere else," she said.
Thomason said he doesn't believe there is a shortage of land to develop in the region.
"We have thousands of acres of development land already shovel-ready, with sidewalks, sewers, lights and roads, and they're going nowhere," he said.
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