MAY 5 - COMMUNITY UPDATE
Community Updates – On Our Website
You can now access our weekly community updates on our website under the "Community Updates" section. Missed a week? Catch up easily on what you missed!
Support from the Provincial Liberal Party
This week we had a visit from Liberal MPP Ted Hsu, their agriculture lead who met with our Steering Team to offer his support and tour Mountain Oak Farm, St. Jacobs Food Inc. and along Bleams Road to see the prime agricultural lands firsthand. Here is a video statement Ted Hsu made during his visit:
Door-to-door Canvassing and Conversations
The weekend's efforts to visit homes in Baden and New Hamburg yielded an impressive community response, with many new Fight For Farmland lawn signs eagerly placed by homeowners along Snyders Road in Baden, as well as Waterloo Street and Peel Street in New Hamburg.
The sunny weather and community enthusiasm were key highlights. The overwhelming positivity and interest in our Fight For Farmland underscored the need for further outreach to address common misconceptions about the project including the commonly heard misinformation that the land assembly was over now that Honda had selected sites in Alliston, Ontario for an EV Battery plant.
We would greatly appreciate additional volunteer support to amplify our message and reach more people.
Second Letter from the Business and Economic Support Team of Waterloo Region (BESTWR)
Ian McLean of BESTWR, speaking for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, issued a second letter expressing strong support for the Wilmot Land Assembly despite critical missing information and answers. While emphasizing certain facts, the letter contains ironic inaccuracies. We aim to correct these for the community's benefit:
1. We aren’t against economic development – We oppose the surprising location for a mega-industrial site due to unplanned growth in Wilmot Township, which threatens existing communities, local industries, and prime farmland. The absence of public consultation and planning contrasts sharply with established Official Plans.
2. We need proper process to be followed – Concern centers on large-scale developments approved without public meetings, studies, or environmental assessments, risking infrastructure strain and public safety amid significant population growth.
3. Why Here? Questions arise over the sudden push for an unexpected mega-industrial site in Wilmot, distant from urban centers and lacking infrastructure, raising concerns about farmland destruction.
4. There have been NO public meetings – The April 4th public meeting cited by BESTWR was a meeting organized by concerned citizens with no officials attending who could answer any of the many outstanding questions. The absence of answers and meaningful dialogue from elected officials, municipal, regional and provincial staff adds to community frustration.
5. There has been no proper planning process – The lack of public engagement and transparency contrasts with past large-scale projects like the iON Light Rail Transit, underscoring the need for transparency and public consultation amidst uncertainty.
Lawn Signs
Despite receiving more lawn signs on Thursday, our lawn sign inventory is already running low again with some locations currently out of signs. This overwhelming response is amazing! If you're seeking a lawn sign, we recommend checking back midweek. We are incredibly grateful to see signs popping up everywhere! Thank you for your support!
Townhall Meeting
We are pleased to announce that the Steering Committee is actively organizing a Town Hall Meeting with an informative session. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming weeks!
Media Coverage
As usual here is a list of Media Coverage on the Wilmot Land Assembly from this week:
May 1 – The Record: There are no winners in these Wilmot guessing games https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/there-are-no-winners-in-these-wilmot-guessing-games/article_d08bfd44-f133-5eca-aef1-582ec1cf6fca.html
April 30 – CTV News: 'Rollercoaster' turf war continues between Waterloo Region and Wilmot farmers https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/rollercoaster-turf-war-continues-between-waterloo-region-and-wilmot-farmers-1.6868396
April 29 - CityNews - Local Economic Support Team Issues Second Open Letter About Land Assembly in Wilmot Township: https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/04/29/economic-support-team-issues-second-open-letter-about-land-assembly-in-wilmot-township/
Action Needed
Please continue to show firsthand that we are unwilling to host this mega-industrial site and massive growth of tens of thousands of new residents in Wilmot Township by:
- Signing petitions and sending letters, e-mails, and phone calls to elected officials,
- Putting up a lawn sign encouraging others to Fight For Farmland too,
- Signing up for updates on the www.fightforfarmland.com website.
- Volunteering to help engage the public and build support canvassing door-to-door
We’re here for you!
Have a question or concern? email us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to making further progress and keeping you updated on our efforts.
Best regards,
Jacqueline Snyder
On behalf of the Fight For Farmland Group
Recent News Continued…
CBC - Group Of Business Leaders Releases 2nd Open Letter In Favour Of Region’s Wilmot Land Acquisition: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/wilmot-land-acquisition-bestwr-second-open-letter-industrial-1.7188249
Farmtario - Farmers Condemn Expropriation Threat To Farmland In Wilmot Township: https://farmtario.com/news/farmers-farm-groups-condemn-expropriation-threat-to-farmland-in-wilmot-township/
Better Farming - Wilmot Township Situation Alarms: https://www.betterfarming.com/flippingbook/betterfarming/2024/may/74/
CTV CKCO Television News - Rollercoaster Turf War Continues Between Waterloo Region and Wilmot Farmers: https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/rollercoaster-turf-war-continues-between-waterloo-region-and-wilmot-farmers-1.6868396
The Record - There Are No Winners In These Wilmot Guessing Games: https://www.therecord.com/opinion/columnists/there-are-no-winners-in-these-wilmot-guessing-games/article_d08bfd44-f133-5eca-aef1-582ec1cf6fca.html
MPP Catherine Fife presented the petition with hundreds of signatures to the Legislature on April 29th https://x.com/cfifekw/status/1785022675720556906?s=46&t=XLYcxxaKfwXm7EGqQ-olxw