Why secrecy if land deal is for greater good?

In Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone with the Wind,” Gerald tells Scarlett that, “land is the only thing in the world worth workin’ for, worth fightin’ for, worth dyin’ for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.”

But it’s not just the land itself, it’s what we do with it, who gets to make those decisions and who can afford it. Solutions to population growth, affordable and sustainable housing, protecting farmland and mitigating climate change impacts requires cross-sectoral, whole system thinking and planning.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has introduced a destructive series of bills, as well as changes to the Provincial Planning Statement under the pretext of housing. It’s like one deadly serious game of whack-a-mole: the Ford government introduces new bills, our community rallies against them, the government backs down and more seriously flawed legislation pops up.

The regional government and Wilmot township are trying to buy and potentially expropriate 700-plus acres of prime agricultural land for a huge, mystery industrial operation.

The secrecy and Chamber of Commerce’s Ian MacLean’s tone-deaf dismissal of our concerns are disturbing. Ontario’s Expropriation Act allows expropriation “for municipal purposes,” usually interpreted as “for public use,” so why the secrecy?

Our governments are accountable to us; the land speculators and huge industrial operation being courted now are not. Companies invest in themselves and have no vested interest in nor responsibility for our community.

Kevin Thomason, who has been unflagging in his commitment to stay on top of these developments, said, “Waterloo Region could be unrecognizable in a few years and so much that we took for granted will be lost. The consequences are staggering.”

All the protective mechanisms to plan and use land wisely are being taken away “with no public consultation, awareness or comprehension.” The Grand River Conservation Authority is gutted, as well as the Ministries of the Environment and Natural Resources. Adding insult to injury is the elimination of the Region of Waterloo’s Official Plan and the loss of the protected Countryside Line.

What can we each do? Write, call, and email local and provincial politicians, show up at council meetings and organized rallies.

Educate yourself. You can sign the petition and find out how to get a lawn sign to save the farmland at www.fightforfarmland.com. No one can afford to be non-political with so much at stake.

If you want to know more about Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2023, check out a succinct analysis by Osler Law, titled “Ontario government announces proposed amendments to Planning Act and Development Charges Act.”

If we don’t take the time now to speak up, the land will be lost. Our governments need to invest in and support local people, farmers, small and medium independent enterprises, and sustainable and affordable housing.

If both the City of Waterloo and Town of Wellesley can make a stand on holding the protected Countryside Line to contain urban sprawl and protect farmland, why can’t the others?