Premier weighs in on Wilmot land acquisition
Posted Oct 2, 2024 04:23:22 PM.
Last Updated Oct 3, 2024 11:39:01 AM.
An already contentious situation just got a little stickier after Premier Doug Ford commented on the Wilmot land acquisition, at the International Plowing Match in Lindsay, Ont.
“It wasn’t done properly, you got me, it wasn’t done properly. The region needs to get it together. I don’t understand all the secrets. I couldn’t figure it out. It was mishandled.”
One of the major points of contention has been the secrecy from multiple levels of government regarding how the land was selected and who made the decisions. A recent report to council about the destruction of 160 acres of corn on land already acquired by the region drew the ire of council members and those opposed to the plan. They said it lacked detail which added fuel to the accusations of secrecy.
Over the summer it was learned the province was bankrolling the acquisition. That revelation then raised questions about the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) imposed on regional council by the province. Councillors, who have faced stiff criticism from constituents, now question if the NDA still applies.
Alfred Lowrick, spokesperson for Fight for Farmland, the group leading the charge against the acquisition told 570 News Radio, that when it comes to who is to blame for the way this whole situation has been handled, people need to look to the top.
“The premier is the senior level politician in this case. It’s his responsibility to move things onto the agenda,” Lowrick said. “I don’t like the finger-pointing. We’ve been dealing with this for months now. And, we are just very frustrated as far as who is truly responsible for making the decision on this 770 acres.”
With land negotiations stalled, the region still has the ability to expropriate the properties. It has said in the past it would prefer not to use that option, but it has yet to pull it off the table.
In an email to 570 NewsRadio a spokesperson for the region said: “The Region of Waterloo is committed to negotiating fair and equitable deals with land owners. Negotiations are ongoing, and we look forward to providing an update at a later date.”
