NEWS RELEASE
WILMOT LANDOWNERS
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WILMOT TOWNSHIP — Citizens are wondering which cabinet minister to believe after Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Agri-Food and Agri-Business admitted to CityNews reporters on Aug. 7 that the province is funding the very controversial Wilmot mega-industrial site land assembly.
This is in stark contrast to numerous statements made by Minister of Red Tape Reduction Mike Harris Jr. who has consistently claimed for months that this is a local Township of Wilmot and Region of Waterloo initiative with no provincial involvement.
Citizens are still confounded by the lack of information, the lack of answers, and the lack of even a single public meeting about such massive development in Wilmot Township contrary to all previous planning.
Local residents are increasingly frustrated by the lack of information or clear answers. Despite already widespread opposition to the project, there has been increasing calls for it not to be foisted on such unwilling farmers and unwilling landowners as well as such an unwilling community.
Even Premier Doug Ford stated himself that this mega-industrial development shouldn’t be forced on an unwilling community.
Yet despite thousands of lawn signs protesting this unprecedented massive mega-industrial site and over 40,000 petition signatures against the destruction of local farmland, governments continue to push forward each blaming the other in a fog of confusion for the public.
MPP Mike Harris Jr. has consistently asserted for months that the province is not involved in the land assembly. That it is a Regional of Waterloo initiative and the Region of Waterloo is solely responsible for assembling the land, handling all the real estate transactions, and selecting the specific lands involved in the project.
"The Region is the one who is assembling this land, and the Region is the one that is putting it together, so I don’t think it’s fair to put this back on the (provincial) government, saying that we are not doing what is appropriate," Harris stated.
He further emphasized that the Province has simply asked municipalities to prepare shovel-ready sites, distancing the provincial government from the land assembly.
However, on Thursday, Aug. 7, Minister of Agriculture Robert Flack contradicted Harris’s claims, stating, "I do not have a dollar figure, but I believe we are supporting the purchasing of the land."
This admission indicates a direct provincial involvement in the financial aspects of the land assembly and finally answers where funding is coming from for this massive project, raising even more questions about the transparency and consistency of the information provided to the public.
The Township of Wilmot and Region of Waterloo have continually refused to answer who is behind the project and funding it, citing strict Non-Disclosure Agreements. Even Freedom of Information requests to learn more about the funding and the mysterious third-party behind it all have been denied and no information provided to the public creating further public concern and citizen outrage.
“Why is the province hiding its role and its identity from the public – particularly in light of so much community concern and so many problematic issues with almost every aspect of this massive development scheme?” asks Alfred Lowrick, the spokesperson for the Fight For Farmland community group fighting this massive unplanned development.
The discrepancy between these Minister’s statements has led to growing concern among community members, who feel misled by the conflicting narratives.
"Why is there such a discrepancy in their statements and why does the public still have so little information as to who is behind this, who is funding things, how much this is going to cost taxpayers, why so much secrecy, why the unprecedented NDA’s leaving the public in the dark?"
If our provincial government is driving the destruction of so much prime farmland, calling the shots, and funding it all then why is the provincial government’s identity being kept so secret with these NDA’s and every local politician terrified to speak out or even clearly answer so many pressing questions?
These are questions on everyone’s mind.
Which cabinet Minister do we believe? The Minister that says the province is not involved in any way or the Minister that claims the province is funding it all?
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