About 10 companies interested in Wilmot land, says Minister of Economic Investment
Ontario’s Minister of Economic Investment, Job Creation and Trade says a number of companies have shown interest in a tract of land the Region of Waterloo is trying to assemble in Wilmot Township.
In March, Wilmot land owners say they were approached by regional representatives who were looking to buy land for large-scale investments that have not been made public. The land being considered is located between Nafziger Road, Bleams Road and Wilmot Centre Road.
A map shows the land the Region of Waterloo wants to buy. (Graphic by Hayden Phillips/CTV Kitchener)
“I have understood that since all of this discussion has become public, there’s about ten prospects that the region or the municipality or the township has discovered from people contacting them for their site,” Minister Victor Fedeli said in an interview Friday.
“I think that’s a really great opportunity. When you have a manufacturing linchpin in a community, that’s how hospitals and schools and roads and infrastructure – that’s how it gets built.”
The minister said the Wilmot location would be a great spot for a battery plant or a variety of other builds, but said it wouldn’t be suitable for a very specific portion of the province’s recent Honda EV deal.
“There will be four sites around Ontario. I was asked yesterday if one of the sites is Wilmot, and the answer is no,” Fedeli said.
“The sites that are outside of Ontario are for a cathode plant. A cathode is not only a large consumer of water, but needs running water to be able to discharge so I said [Wilmot] simply would not qualify for that type of factory. I think they’re a great spot, by the way, for a battery plant. I would hope that they assemble their land so that we can get one. To the best of my knowledge, we don’t have a prospect for Wilmot at the moment.”
CTV News reached out to the Region of Waterloo for an update on the land assembly project, but staff deferred to Fedeli’s comments.
Arjo, Jake and Adam Van Bergeijk represent three generations of dairy farmers who would be affected if the Wilmot land assembly project goes ahead. (CTV News/Stefanie Davis)
Farmers in the area say they still haven’t received any update on what will happen to their land. It’s been two months since they were first approached. Landowners and farmers who have spoken with CTV News say they’re not interested in selling their land.
“We’ve tried several times to talk, to ask [the region] for clarity and transparency, and so far we’ve had no luck with them on that,” farmer Arjo Van Bergeijk said in an interview on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.