July 16 - Community Update
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS DENIED
In an attempt to finally get answers and bring transparency to the controversial 770-acre industrial mega-site being forced in Wilmot Township and inform the community of its significant implications, the Fight for Farmland Group filed 21 basic Freedom of Information Requests with the Region of Waterloo back in early June.
Late last week – on the final day of the 30-day window that the Region had to respond, we finally received responses from the Region of Waterloo to these Freedom of Information requests, 18 of which were denied entirely, and the remaining 3 answered with “no record” nor information. The Region's unusual denial of these requests raises serious concerns about the transparency and legality of their actions. Is the Region withholding this information because critical steps in the land acquisition process have not been taken? Why are they keeping constituents and citizens in the dark when there are so many important questions to be answered?
The Region has conducted its actions in secrecy, without a single public meeting, and contradicting long-established plans and planning concepts in the Region's Official Plan. Our group has been denied access to the documents, meeting notes, emails, and transcripts related to this massive development that would be one of the largest industrial developments ever created in Waterloo Region. Due to the ongoing secrecy and lack of transparency in this land assembly process and the unprecedented rejection of our Freedom of Information Requests, the Fight for Farmland Group has begun the process of:
Appealing the Region's lack of response to our Freedom of Information Requests to the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner,
Conversations with the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the many in-camera meetings to determine their legality,
Requesting the Integrity Commissioner investigate how Vive Developments became aware of the land assembly weeks before any information was made public.
See the summary of the denied Freedom of Information requests on our website:
The media coverage of this complete rejection of our Freedom of Information requests has been extensive. When asked by the media the Region of Waterloo’s response was:
“that they are committed to sharing more information, but indicated that their ability to share is limited due to the confidentiality of the conversations they’ve been having with landowners.”
This response is simply unacceptable. We are not asking about any negotiations or expropriations. The Fight For Farmland Group is composed of the landowners already involved in this land acquisition. We are seeking the studies, research reports and financial costing the Region has presumably done for a potential development this massive.
The decisions being made will impact our entire community, not just the land owners. It is imperative that our community be fully informed about how their tax dollars are being allocated and the extensive damage and repercussions a mega-industrial site could bring to Wilmot Township.
The community has the right to know what studies (if any) have been conducted and what alternative sites have been considered before our limited prime agricultural land is destroyed for industrial use, especially when there doesn’t even seem to be a buyer in sight. The region's secretive approach and lack of public information and meetings is wrong, and it is crucial that everyone in the community understands the gravity of the situation and the potential long-term consequences.
We must demand transparency and accountability to protect our land and our future. Please Continue to call, email, and send letters to MPP Mike Harris Jr, Region of Waterloo Councillors, and Township of Wilmot Councillors to demand transparency and declare we are UNWILLING HOSTS!
IN THE MEDIA
The concern about the lack of information and proper process has been significant throughout our community. We are grateful for the tremendous amount of news coverage this week regarding the denial of our Freedom of Information Requests. This includes a national article in the Canadian National Observer, as well as coverage on CTV News, CBC, Global News, CityNews, The Mike Farwell Show, and numerous articles with front-page coverage in The Record. Some of the notable articles and interviews are listed below:
Canadian National Observer - Mystery Mega Project: Waterloo Refuses to Release Documents
The Record - Region Denies Information Requests About Wilmot Land
Global News - Wilmot Group Farmland Expropriation FOI Requests Denied
The Record - What Is Really Annoying Here Is The Lack Of Transparency
The Record - Stonewalling Wilmot Farmers Does Not Help Region’s Case
The extensive media attention highlights the importance of our community being aware of these critical issues and the region's incredibly unfair and unjust actions.
PUNKEYDOODLES STEVE TODD CONTINUES TO MAKE HEADLINES WITH "770 ACRES"
It's fantastic to see PunkeyDoodles Steve Todd making the front page of The Record newspaper today and continuing to garner significant airplay and media attention with his song "770 Acres." Check out the latest coverage:
REMINDERS
While council meetings are less frequent in the summer, please mark your calendars for the upcoming meetings:
Wilmot Township Council: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden - Monday, July 29, 5:30 pm (council meets at 7:00 pm)
Region of Waterloo Council: 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener - Wednesday, August 28, 6:30 pm
If you are interested in speaking as a delegation at a council meeting, please email us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com.