Wilmot Township farmers fight back against possible expropriation

Farmers in Wilmot Township are fighting back against plans to turn their land into an industrial site.

The Region of Waterloo is looking to buy over 750 acres of land from six property owners near New Hamburg. The farmers were told to sell the land or face possible expropriation by the Region of Waterloo.

A representative for the property owners and concerned citizens spoke to Wilmot Township councillors at the Monday night meeting.

"Why is this industrial site being [built on] farmland rather than reclaimed aggregate sites?" said representative Alfred Lowrick. "Why is the site being located outside the settlement boundaries and so far from the region's major cities, which will make the roadways even busier?"

Earlier in March, the owners of land bound by Nafziger, Bleams, and Wilmot Centre roads were approached by the region with the option to sell or possibly have their land expropriated.

This would push out owners, some of whose families have farmed the land for over 150 years.

The farmers say they felt blindsided by the deal and have received little communication from the region.

"Why has there been no public engagement or even discussion about this particular location in all the extensive long term planning the region has undertaken?" said Lowrick.

The Region of Waterloo has not yet said want they plan to use the land for.

"Land assembly is underway to create shovel ready sites for large scale economic investments," the region said, in part, in a statement to CTV News.

Property owners were told the region wants to acquire the land by August.