Letter to Premier Ford Regarding Threat of Wilmot Farmland Expropriation

Dear Premier Ford,

The National Farmers Union – Ontario (NFU-O) is calling on the Region of Waterloo and Wilmot Township to immediately pause all plans to expropriate over 770 acres of prime agricultural land in Wilmot Township for an unspecified manufacturing “mega-site.” This pause is necessary to ensure that any development in the township and region receives adequate citizen input, is consistent with the agricultural protections within the region’s official plan and the Provincial Policy Statement, and has been assessed by the Grand River Conservation Authority for its potential impacts on the region’s water and ecological health. The forcible and undemocratic acquisition of this land is a mistake that will have profound implications for Ontario’s food security and for land use planning across the province.

The NFU-O is an accredited farm organization representing thousands of sustainable farmers in Ontario. We have advocated for farmers across Ontario and Canada since 1969. Members work together to achieve agricultural policies that ensure dignity and income security for farmers, while protecting and enhancing rural environments for current and future generations. For years the NFU-O has advocated responsible development, smart densification, and the
realization of complete communities in existing built-up areas, alongside the preservation of farmland and natural heritage areas.

In the past couple of weeks, it has come to light that Wilmot Township, the Region of Waterloo, and the provincial government (through the provincial agency, the Ontario Realty Corporation), have colluded with a US-based consulting company to threaten affected farmers and landowners with expropriation should they refuse to sell their land for a manufacturing mega-site. The 770 acres of prime farmland slated for industrial development are home to vegetable, grain, and dairy operations as well as two significant creeks that flow into the Nith river.

We stand with the half-dozen farmers and landowners being bullied into this farmland theft, as well as with members of NFU-O Waterloo Wellington Local 340, Citizens for Safe Ground Water, Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife, Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner, and all those who are joining together to fight for farmland and for the immediate pause of land expropriation in Wilmot Township.

“Just like the recent failed Greenbelt Grab, short-sighted decision-making is taking precedence over sustainable development,” says Max Hansgen, NFU-O president. “The complete lack of public consultation and transparency in Wilmot Township clearly shows that land use decision-making in the province still has not incorporated the lessons from popular opposition to Bill 23 and Bill 97. Ontarians agree that industrial development does not belong on farmland.”

The Region of Waterloo’s Official Plan lists the land between Bleams Road and Nafziger Road, land that is part of the 770 acres slated for development, as prime agricultural land. The NFU-O demands that the Government of Ontario fulfill its duty to responsibly direct municipalities by directing the Region of Waterloo to follow the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 that maintains that all prime agricultural land be reserved for farming, not development. If this industrial development in Wilmot Township is given the greenlight, it will only make it more difficult for other Ontario counties and townships to protect their own agricultural and ecologically-sensitive land. In fact, the policy revisions within the Ontario Government’s proposed Bill 162, Get it Done Act, 2024 are designed to make it easier for regional authorities to expropriate farmland and fast- track farmland rezoning and development. The government has an obligation to Ontarians to direct municipalities responsibly and balance development with the protection of our natural resources, including farmland.

Given that there are two creeks on the land proposed for development and that underground aquifers account for 80% of the region’s water supply, the NFU-O is frustrated that Region of Waterloo and Wilmot Township officials have yet to solicit the expertise of the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). We call on regional leaders to immediately invite the GRCA to survey and report to the public on the potential impact this development will have on water and ecological health. Speeding up development assessment processes and disregarding the precautionary principle could result in major public health concerns and permanent ecological damage.

Ontario farmland is globally recognized as some of the best farmland in the world. Only 4% of Canadian land is suitable to grow crops, and some of the most fertile land is found in Wilmot and neighboring Townships. It is the responsibility of the Provincial Government to uphold regulatory mechanisms meant to protect this finite resource, and to make informed development decisions through democratic processes. Fast-tracking development in Wilmot Township and paving over this farmland will only instill public distrust in government, as seen with the popular opposition to Bill 23 and Bill 97 regarding similar land development processes.

The NFU-O urges the Ontario Government to intervene and immediately halt all farmland expropriation in the Region of Waterloo. We encourage the province to guide regional leaders to follow sustainable and transparent land-use decision making processes for all current and future industrial developments. Farmers and citizens of the region deserve no less.

The NFU-O welcomes the opportunity to speak further with you about our concerns, and about farmland protection in Ontario.

Sincerely,

Max Hansgen
President, National Farmers Union – Ontario