Provincial ministers call out region over 'lack of transparency' in Wilmot Township land purchase

Two provincial ministers say there has been a "lack of transparency" by the Region of Waterloo about its plans to purchase lands in Wilmot Township.

In a joint statement released Thursday morning, Kitchener-Conestoga MPP and Minister of Red Tape Reduction Mike Harris and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli confirmed the province is providing the region with funding.

But they say beyond that, the province is not involved in the land purchase process.

"While the province is supporting the Region of Waterloo with funding help purchase the land, it is the sole responsibility of the region to assemble the site and work collaboratively with all affected communities and stakeholders," the statement reads. 

"The same approach was taken in St. Thomas for Volkswagen's investment, a project that was twice the size and required no expropriation."

Their statement comes after a landowners group accused provincial officials of providing conflicting statements on their role in the deal.

The Region of Waterloo wants to buy 770 acres (roughly 311 hectares) in Wilmot Township for future industrial use. The region has not said what specifically the land would be used for in the future. 

Harris and Fideli said they felt a clarification was necessary "given the region's lack of transparency in its land assembly process."

"It is disappointing to see recent events unfold in Wilmot and the Region of Waterloo, particularly the threat of expropriation at the onset of this process," the statement said. 

"While we wholeheartedly support municipalities in their efforts to attract these investments and create good-paying jobs, we want to underline that they must always be conducted in a fair and respectful manner. This is a principle we strongly uphold, and we urge the Region of Waterloo to do the same."

Back in March, 12 landowners who live near the intersection of Nafziger Road and Bleams Road say they were visited by a representative from the private Mississauga-based company Canacre, which says on its website that it helps navigate complex infrastructure projects through the regulatory process. 

The person told them the region wanted to buy their properties. The landowners received compensation offers, which some believed were minimal for what the land is worth.

If the landowners refused the offer, they were told their land would be expropriated. 

The plan has been applauded by a group called BESTWR, which is made up of the heads of local chambers of commerce, the Waterloo Economic Development Corp., Communitech and Explore Waterloo Region.