Premier Ford supports region’s land assembly efforts in Wilmot Township

While Premier Ford was in Kitchener Thursday to announce $14 million of funding to the city, he was asked about the land assembly process that is happening in Wilmot Township.

The region is currently trying to assemble about 770 acres worth of prime farmland in Wilmot, which has also been supported by the region’s economic support team, the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR).

Premier Ford said about a year ago, his government asked regions and municipalities to start assembling land to help spur economic development across the province.

“There’s so many requests through Invest Ontario and economic development, we’ve sent some forms out I think about a year ago saying ‘if you want to assemble land, we’ll be there for you’ and if you don’t then we understand,” he said.

“We’re trying to do it across the province. Anyone who assembles it, we are pretty confident that companies are going to come and put a facility there, employ people, stir economic development, create great jobs and just help the economy.”

Ford said smaller municipalities like Wilmot Township need the money.

“A lot of smaller towns like Wilmot, they need money,” he said. “What better way than to clear some land and create some development. I’m all for it by the way, but there has to be a willing host.”

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He added big companies that are looking to make investments in the province won’t build somewhere if they aren’t welcome by the hosting city or municipality.

“These big companies worldwide that are looking to invest in Ontario, and we are so fortunate to have them, if there’s not a willing hosting city, then they aren’t going to do it.”

Ford said every municipality needs to look at what is happening in St. Thomas with a massive 370-acre EV battery plant that Volkswagen is building. It’s part of the development of 1,500 acres in an industrial park in St. Thomas. The $7-biliion plant is expected to be up and running by 2027.

“They are building the fourth largest building in the world, the largest battery plant in North America. It’s going to create thousand, and thousands of jobs,” he said.

Ford said he knows companies will come to Ontario with municipalities assembling land to boost the economy.

“There’s no plans, there’s no companies that are waiting to get the land. But, I guarantee you one thing, when anyone assembles land, companies are coming because we are in desperate need across the province for assembled land.”

Despite supporting it, Premier Ford is a bit unsettled about how the region approached the situation in Wilmot Township with the threat of expropriation.

“When I hear that, I don’t know, it doesn’t sit well with me,” said Ford. “I’m all for assembling land across the province, personally I think it should have been handled a bit differently with the real estate company. You have to be a willing participant and that’s what we’re looking for. Willing participants, willing townships and regions that want to open opportunities for companies to come here and create jobs for their residents. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way when I heard that.”

The Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR) released a statement Friday saying that the business community was grateful to hear Premier Ford’s comments regarding the land assembly in Wilmot Township.

“The business community was grateful to see Premier Ford in town on Thursday to celebrate Kitchener’s success in homebuilding.

It was important to hear his comments regarding the land assembly process in Wilmot Township that will drive job growth and long-term prosperity.

Waterloo Region has been a location of choice for many world-leading organizations seeking a willing host community for investment, job creation and partnerships. However, over the last few years large, transformative projects have routinely bypassed us because we do not have a shovel-ready site.

The Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR) has been encouraging this type of land assembly effort in our Region for years. It’s urgent.

As we grow to a million residents over the next twenty years, this is the right time for the Region to embark on this critical endeavour in a way that is fair, creates thousands of jobs, and supports social and economic wealth for the next generation.”