Wilmot council responds to community concern over region’s land buy
Wilmot Township wants residents to know it’s not involved in the Region of Waterloo’s proposed acquisition of 770 acres of farm land in the township.
A statement was released Wednesday on behalf of Wilmot council and Mayor Natasha Salonen.
It said, in part: “Those negotiations, like all real estate transactions, take place one-on-one. The township is not, and should not, be involved directly in those discussions and subsequent transactions.”
Controversy and concern
The proposed deal to buy property between Nafziger Road, Bleams Road and Wilmot Centre Road has been a contentious one.
Some local farmers and community members have rallied together to push back against the acquisition.
Other groups, like the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR), have advocated for the region’s plan to secure large parcels of shovel-ready land for development.
Regional Chair Karen Redman responded to community concerns in an email to an environmental advocacy group last week. In it, she said having available land is critical to securing future investment and jobs that support community growth.
The region has not said what it plans to do with the land.
Wilmot responds
Wednesday’s release from Wilmot’s mayor and council acknowledged that residents have a lot of unanswered questions about the purchase and the future of the property.
“As your government representatives at the local level, we continue to advocate on behalf of landowners, ensuring that the process is fair and equitable. To that end, the Township of Wilmot continues to bring the thoughts, opinions and concerns of landowners and Wilmot residents to the Region of Waterloo.”
The statement ended with council reminding residents that as they are not part of the deal they can only “provide updates on this matter when there is significant new information to share.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
'We have no judge for you': Man's assault charges dropped weeks before trial due to lack of judges in Toronto
A man who was accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman had his charges dropped in April, just weeks before he was set to stand trial in Toronto, due to a lack of judges in the region.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Protest encampment cleared by Edmonton police early Saturday morning
A protest encampment set up on the University of Alberta campus was cleared early Saturday morning by Edmonton police.
Woman in her 60s in life-threatening condition after Bridle Path bus shelter collision
Police say a woman in her 60s is in life-threatening condition after being struck by a vehicle at a bus shelter in Toronto's Bridle Path neighbourhood on Friday.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.