August 1 - Community Update
REGION OF WATERLOO FACES MAJOR BACKLASH FOR THE UNCOMPREHENDABLE DESTRUCTION OF BOUNTIFUL CORN CROP – WASTING FOOD AND TAXPAYER DOLLARS
The Region of Waterloo is facing heavy criticism for destroying over 160 acres of corn in Wilmot Township, which was nearly ready for harvest. The corn, valued at approximately $5.00 per bushel and yielding around 200 bushels per acre, represents a potential taxpayer compensation of at least $160,000 plus the cost of the significant efforts to destroy it. The destruction, carried out on the single farm that the Region has acquired by farmers from Strathroy after local farmers refused, has been criticized as a reckless waste of taxpayer dollars.
The Waterloo Federation of Agriculture has pointed out the financial implications, emphasizing that the lost crop could have produced 2.5 million boxes of 400g Corn Flakes cereal. Given the Region's budgetary pressures, the decision by Chair Karen Redman to spend so much taxpayer money destroying a bumper corn crop has baffled many, including local officials, area farmers and residents.
The Fight For Farmland released a press release on the subject last week and there has been considerable media coverage of the public outrage at this frivolous destruction that only adds to the many concerns about the entire approach to this mega-industrial land assembly.
CTV News Kitchener - Concerns over cut-down crop in Wilmot Township (Video)
CITYNews Lead Item & Mike Farwell Show, July 24th - https://kitchener.citynews.ca/audio/the-mike-farwell-show/
CBC News - Region of Waterloo plows corn crop in Wilmot Township to complete land studies
CTV News Kitchener - Community members express anger over apparent destruction of corn crop in Wilmot Township
ISSUES AND CONCERNS ARE LARGER THAN JUST THIS LAND ASSEMBLY – OUR FUNDAMENTAL VALUES AND DEMOCRACY ARE BEING DESTROYED ALONG WITH FARMLAND
Waterloo Record Newspaper Columnist Luisa D’Amato wrote an extremely insightful article on Wednesday in which she not only calls the destruction of so much high-quality corn “a deeply offensive act”, but also questions the entire approach by the Region of Waterloo stating “The Region of Waterloo that I know doesn’t behave like this.” Raising concerns about the values, ethics, and principles being so readily compromised and overridden by the Region.
Be it the complete lack of even a single public meeting, the complete absence of any studies and information, the secrecy, the threats of expropriation, and not only this mega-industrial site land assembly but also the massive unplanned development of New Hamburg/Baden, and even the concept of huge pipelines to carry millions of litres of sewage and industrial waste daily to the City of Kitchener for disposal in the Grand River it is all so contrary to all previous planning and the complete opposite of our longstanding values of sustainability, farmland protection, environmental and water protection, and public engagement.
Luisa states the Regional Official Plan “supported Waterloo Region’s longstanding values to keep urban sprawl to a minimum, thus preserving the countryside. Development in rural areas was carefully restricted. Today, this sudden, secretive and arbitrary decision to put a huge industrial site on prime farmland, with massive changes for the rural area around it, could not be less aligned with the Waterloo Region principle. Our value of deep connection to the countryside has been buried it seems, along with all that corn.”
Local business leader Paul Kalbfleisch went even further to suggest that what is at stake here isn’t just our values, but democracy itself as the recent actions of the Region of Waterloo suggest that when there is an opportunity for economic development, the fundamentals of democracy can be overridden. If Waterloo Region is willing to push aside longstanding values and democratic openness for some parcels of land, what can we expect in the future when the choices are even bigger and harder? How devoted are we to democracy?
DEMONSTRATIONS & RALLIES
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to protest and rally outside the Township of Wilmot Council Meeting this past Monday. It was incredible to see the growing numbers and so many Fight for Farmland supporters with homemade signs and bright t-shirts. The sound of honking cars could be heard throughout the meeting and even in the live stream, even until the end of the meeting.
A special thank you to Kevin Thomason, Mark Reusser, and Andrew Wilson who delegated at the meeting to address Councillors Sidhu and Wilkinson's motion for up to three delegations at future Council Meetings on any general interest topic relevant to the Township. The Staff Report and motion passed unanimously with several amendments helping to make future Council meetings even more welcoming to the public. The new procedural bylaws should be in place by the September 9th Wilmot Council meeting and we hope to soon have speakers finally be able to discuss this land assembly with our council. Let's continue to show them that we are UNWILLING HOSTS!
Here is a list of the upcoming Wilmot and Regional meetings. We are hoping to continue Monday’s impressive show of force and firsthand demonstration of an unwilling community with protest rally’s in advance of each of these upcoming meetings:
Wilmot Township Council: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden -
Monday, August 26, 2024 - 5:30 pm (council meets at 7:00 pm)
Region of Waterloo Council: 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener
- Wednesday, August 28, 6:30 pm
Please get your banners and signs ready to rally at these meetings and if you are interested in speaking as a delegation at a council meeting, please email us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com
‘THE TALK BACK HOUR’ 570 NEWS WITH MIKE FARWELL
It was enlightening to hear so many people calling into 'The Talk Back Hour' on Wednesday expressing their opposition to the land assembly and the needless destruction of an entire corn crop. Everyone seemed to perfectly capture the sentiment that citizens are not against new jobs and building our economy but are concerned about the absurdity of this mega-site in such a confounding location on land that isn't for sale. The support for more transparency, thorough research, public meetings, better process, and consideration of alternate sites is crucial and has been noticeably lacking in this case. Many community members who spoke even called for Chair Karen Redman's resignation. You can listen to the show at 1:47:46.
IN THE MEDIA
CTV News Kitchener - Timeline of Waterloo Region's plan to purchase Wilmot Township properties
The Record - Farmers And Region Far Apart On Land Prices
The Record - Regional Government Is Gambling On Wilmot Land Assembly
CityNews - Fight For Farmland Could Turn Into Legal Battle: Spokesperson
Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette - Region Of Waterloo Holds One-On-One Press Briefings
Let's keep the momentum going! If Stratford can stop a massive glass plant and the Greenbelt sell-off can be reversed six months after it was fully approved, we can protect our prime agricultural land! Keep standing up and showing that WE ARE NOT WILLING HOSTS!
Please join others in expressing their concerns and outrage by e-maiing or calling Regional Chair and all Regional Councillors at: regionalcouncillors@regionofwaterloo.ca and MPP Mike Harris Jr. at mike.harris@pc.ola.org.
Best regards,
Jacqueline Snyder
On behalf of the Fight For Farmland Group