More land in Wilmot could be at risk than 770 acres: Grand River Environmental Network

A local environmental group is sounding the alarm that more farmland could be under threat in Wilmot Township other than the 770 acres in the area of Wilmot Centre and Nafziger Road being targeted for possible land expropriation.

Kevin Thomason, the vice chair of the Grand River Environmental Network, spoke to residents in Wilmot at a meeting at Wilmot Mennonite Church on Thursday. He said that hundreds of acres of land could be affected by future construction projects for housing and employment areas.

“It is increasing clear that this is far more than 770 acres,” said Thomason. “That there is development planned from here [Wilmot Mennonite Church], all the way to Waterloo Oxford high school, and that Wilmot Township is seeking to destroy hundreds and hundreds of additional acres of farmland on top of the 770 acres.”

In November, Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Paul Calandra said the province was reversing their decisions on the Region’s official plans from November 2022 and April 2023. Changes made by the province were approved by Wilmot council on Nov. 27.

Minutes from the March 4 Wilmot Council meeting shows council passed a motion to send a report to the province seeking approval of the approved map outlining the community and Employment areas, as well as the countryside line boundary for Baden and New Hamburg.

Thomason said Wilmot was originally supposed to have 46 hectares of farmland to use for expansion in the region’s 2022 official plan that could accommodate 7,000 to 10,000 more people by 2051. He added that there has been “zero” public consultation on these new areas or the 770 acres under threat of expropriation.

“That would dramatically alter our small towns of New Hamburg and Baden into a significant city with a population increase of tens of thousands of people,” said Thomason. “Doubling, tripling or even growing our population to 50,000, perhaps even 75,000 people or more.”

Multiple area politicians and groups were in attendance at Thursday’s meeting. Those including Kitchener Conestoga MP Tim Louis, Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife, Guelph MPP and Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner and Kitchener Centre MPP and Green Party Deputy Leader Aislinn Clancy.

Local organizers of Thursday’s meeting said that members of Wilmot council and Kitchener Conestoga MPP Mike Harris Jr. were invited to the meeting. Harris said in a statement to CityNews 570 that he was not invited and did not know about the meeting until yesterday afternoon.

Mayor of Wilmot Township, Natasha Salonen said in an email to CityNews 570 that she also wasn’t invited to the meeting held Thursday.

“My office has no record of an invitation to this event, email or otherwise,” she said.