'Rollercoaster' turf war continues between Waterloo Region and Wilmot farmers

The local business community is weighing in on a land dispute between the Region of Waterloo and a group of Wilmot farmers.

The region is pushing to buy 770 acres of farmland between Nafziger Road, Bleams Road and Wilmot Centre Road.

The purchase would guarantee shovel-ready land for development, but as of Tuesday, the property owners have yet to accept the region’s offer.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster,” said Alfred Lowrick, the designated spokesperson for the landowners.

Pushback on the purchasing proposal, he explained, stems from environmental concerns and a fear that new development would impact more than just the people living and working on the targeted land.

“There are some people on Wilmot Centre that have direct access to this property and their backyard is going to have a big factory of sorts,” Lowrick explained to CTV News.

In early April, the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR) penned an open letter supporting the Wilmot land consolidation. The group issued a second letter last Thursday reiterating the need for more development to help support community growth.

It read, in part: “[An] important discussion is underway on assembling land in Wilmot Township so the region has the option to consider multi-billion dollar investment opportunities that we have been missing out on for over a decade.”

“[The region] is going to have a million people in 20 years,” BESTWR chair Ian McLean told CTV News. “Are we ready?”

Kevin Thomason, the vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network, argues putting an industrial development in the middle of Wilmot Township could create significant environmental challenges.

“These are some of the most heavily protected farmlands in the entire country. This is prime agriculture. It’s absurd to be locating a mega industrial development out there, and it’s not just that, it’s the transfer of tens of thousands of people.”

Both the farmers and Thomason tell CTV News one of the biggest roadblocks is the lack of transparency from the Region of Waterloo.

“We’ve never had any facts,” Thomason explained. “We can’t get any answers, we can’t get any elected officials to speak on this. No one’s against development. We all want to see our region thrive and grow.”

McLean said if the land is sold the community can weigh in on what will be built on the site, but the property needs to be secured first.

“Until you have land assembled no one’s coming with a proposal for anything,” he added.

The BESTWR chair said the land studies and review can only be completed once the Region of Waterloo identifies what the land will be used for.

“There is going to opportunity to say: ‘Oh, X business wants to put X on this site.’ They are going to have to go through environmental oversight, site plan approval,” McLean stated. “This is going to be the most public of projects you’ve ever seen.”

The Region of Waterloo shared the following statement with CTV News: “While the details of the negotiations remain confidential, we are committed to engaging with the landowners involved and it is our goal to reach fair and equitable agreements for all landowners.”

The landowners said they’ve been told expropriation could be on the table if a resolution isn’t reached.

“If it heads that way, obviously, then all sides are dug in and it’s a legal exercise,” Lowrick said.

The landowners discussed the issue with Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles last week and Lowrick also has a meeting with Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie on Wednesday.

He said more consultation is needed between the landowners, Region of Waterloo and Wilmot Township, if there is any hope for a speedy resolution.