Wilmot land ‘excellently suited’ for development, Redman says
Waterloo Region Chair Karen Redman says Wilmot farmland being assembled for industrial purposes is “excellently suited for future development and investment given the proximity to arterial transportation and existing infrastructure, and the connection to Waterloo Region’s skilled workforce.”
“Shovel-ready land is critical to securing future investment and, in turn, good jobs to support that growth,” Redman stated in correspondence sent to at least two people over the Easter long weekend.
Redman’s information gives a view into what is turning into a controversial and secretive land assembly process. In March, a dozen local landowners in Wilmot were offered money for 770 acres of farmland by the consulting firm Canacre, which specializes in industrial land assembly. Its representatives say they’re acting on behalf of the region and township; landowners were told their properties would be expropriated if an amicable settlement isn’t reached. The region and its elected officials have so far not discussed the plan publicly.
Last week, The Record sent an email to all members of regional council inquiring about what is happening in Wilmot. Two of 16 councillors responded.
“As you know, any closed-door item has to remain closed no matter what the item is and whether one agrees with a majority decision or not,” stated Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett in an email, adding that councillors at both the upper and lower tiers are legislatively bound by that confidentiality when they take their oath of office.
Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe also responded by expressing her willingness to talk about other issues but directed questions on the land assembly to Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen and Redman, who are referred to as the “designated spokespeople” on the issue.
Redman said more information and engagement opportunities will
In March, a dozen local landowners in Wilmot were offered money for 770 acres of farmland by the consulting firm Canacre, which specializes in industrial land assembly
be provided as soon as possible.
“Having said that, no current or future shovel-ready lands are or will be located within the Regional Recharge area, which is critical to our water supply. The Regional Official Plan protects our water sources and ensures a more than adequate supply of high-quality farmland remains,” Redman stated in message.
“Through our collective effort to secure future economic prosperity, we understand that when businesses are looking at investment and/or expansion they are seeking land that is serviced and ready to go. Through engagement with local and global businesses, we understand that a lack of large-scale shovel-ready land in Waterloo Region results in businesses choosing to invest elsewhere.”
In March, a dozen local landowners in Wilmot were offered money for 770 acres of farmland by the consulting firm Canacre, which specializes in industrial land assembly.
Its representatives say they’re acting on behalf of the region and township; landowners were told their properties would be expropriated if an amicable settlement isn’t reached.
Provincial Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife says the threat of expropriation doesn’t make sense.
“The Region of Waterloo had no money to expropriate land,” said Fife, the NDP finance critic,
during a recent parliamentary session for the Standing Committee on Bill 162 that touched on the controversial process underway in Wilmot Township.
“They are on the record saying they did not have any money to expropriate,” said Fife, who recently called on the Ford government to halt the process.
Waterloo Region councillors balked when economic development staff suggested setting up a $5 million “industrial land readiness fund” last fall.
“If these are capital dollars and lands that will be sold, why are we being asked to put operating dollars into it as opposed to treating it as a reserve?” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, during 2024 budget deliberations.
“We were in the industrial land business at the City of Kitchener for probably a couple of decades and that’s how we handled it, so I’m struggling to understand why we’re now looking at a permanent $5 million in the operating budget.”
Council ended up directing staff to look for startup funding from regional reserves and report back later this year.
“I think the recommendation from staff for this initial contribution partly reflects the fact that we have a relatively small amount of reserves in reserve funds as compared to some of our peers,” said chief financial officer Craig Dyer at the time.
“I can’t point to an existing reserve or reserve fund that has a surplus $5 million sitting in it. We think this is a significant enough investment that it requires its own source of funding.”
In an earlier joint statement, the municipalities of Wilmot and Waterloo Region said they’re working with upper levels to assemble shovel-ready industrial lands in Wilmot.
The question in Wilmot remains: why is prime farmland currently with no servicing infrastructure being targeted without any public consultation?
Fife called the situation unprecedented and highlighted the regional staff report on industrial land readiness, which says “shovel ready lands are generally considered to be lands with the necessary approvals, servicing and transportation infrastructure in place, as well as an owner willing to develop or sell to an end user.”
In a report to council last June, staff recommended extending the contract for work done by a consultant on its official plan, which identified “proposed regional employment clusters” including what appears to be a portion of the Wilmot lands currently in question.
The region’s economic development staff hasn’t responded to recent requests for information on the status of the industrial readiness plan or the work currently being done.
In order to accommodate 168,000 more jobs between 2021 and 2051, the region’s official plan adopted by council in 2022 established employment areas with an existing inventory of 1,072 hectares and brought in an additional 456 hectares, the staff report says.
“Since 2021, Waterloo Region has lacked suitable industrial parcels for 20+ inquiries from companies seeking up to 250+ acres and an additional 6-8 inquiries for 1,000+ acre parcels,” according to the report.
“In addition to direct investment interest, the province has shown interest in the region’s available land supply, initiating requests in April and May 2023 to the municipalities for an inventory of shovel-ready lands.”
The Waterloo Federation of Agriculture (WFA) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) are working with area farmers to gather information about the situation unfolding in Wilmot and have called for a pause on the land assembly.
“We understand the urgency of the situation in Wilmot Township and remain concerned about the accelerating loss of farmland in Ontario,” said Drew Spoelstra, OFA president. “OFA strongly supports rural economic development where it does not undermine our precious and finite agricultural resources.”
The OFA says it wants to work with government to identify alternate locations for this development and rezoning.
“We have to find alternatives, and there are alternatives,” said Alfred Lowrick, a spokesperson on behalf of the group of affected landowners in Wilmot.
The landowners say they haven’t received expropriation notices or second offers for their properties. The deadline of March 20 for accepting initial offers of $35,000 an acre has passed.
“We’re wondering when the next shoe is going to drop,” said Lowrick.
The group has created a website with an online petition and its steering committee planned to meet Tuesday to work on next steps including a fundraising component to help with legal costs, he said.