Policy change promised after Conception Bay South family says their expropriated property was later resold
CBC
Newfoundland and Labrador’s department of Transportation and Infrastructure is promising policy changes after a Conception Bay South family spoke out about the expropriation and resale of the land where their home once stood.
Hannah Stapleton says when her mother, Cyndie, video-called her earlier this month, she instantly recognized what she saw on her screen — Scotts Road South, where the family lived until the government expropriated and then demolished their family home in 2012.
The land has been vacant ever since, but when Hannah’s mother video-called her, she saw something unexpected — a new house under construction, on the land where their former home once stood.
“I was just gobsmacked,” Hannah said in an interview with CBC News last week.
“I got really angry about it because I don't understand how they can do that.”
Development of Peacekeepers Way, the highway that now runs through Conception Bay South, was well underway when the Stapletons bought their home on Scotts Road South in 2004, but Cyndie says their lawyer received assurances from the provincial government that they wouldn’t have any issues.
They proceeded with the purchase.
“It wasn't a large house. It was very humble. It was just perfect for us, you know?” she said.
Cyndie said Hannah took her first steps there, and was able to safely ride her bike around the quiet neighbourhood. She said the family put around $40,000 of renovations into the house, and had no plans to move out — until Aug. 13, 2012.
Cyndie said she and Hannah, who was then eight years old, arrived home from back-to-school shopping to find a provincial government representative waiting in their driveway.
“I kind of joked and said, you know, ‘alright, are you here to take the house?’”
The government employee handed her a letter, which said the provincial government had determined it would need to acquire the house under the Family Homes Expropriation Act for construction of Peacekeepers Way.
Cyndie said at first, she was in disbelief. Then reality set in, and she excused herself.
“I threw up,” she said.
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