November 15 - Community Update
Press Release – Fight for Farmland Calls for Immediate Halt to Wilmot Land Assembly Amid Shifting Economic Landscape Following the U.S. Election
Our group sent a press release yesterday that calls for the immediate end of the Wilmot Land Assembly project, citing emerging uncertainties following Donald Trump’s recent U.S. election win. Trump's potential rollback of EV subsidies and threats of significant tariffs has cast doubts on the viability of industrial projects like Wilmot's, with local economic leaders who were recently adamant about this project, Tony La Mantia of the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation, now expressing doubts about the project’s future.
We highlighted the project's significant financial risks and all the negative impacts this process has had so far on our community, drawing parallels to past costly initiatives such as the Pickering Airport Lands and RIM Park. We continue to emphasize the lack of transparency, noting no public consultations or financial cost analyses, despite the project's significant impact on prime farmland and local communities. Our group vows to expand its advocacy, keep planning more community events, rallies, council delegations, and broader media outreach to bring this issue to an even wider audience. With upcoming elections, we intend to make this a key issue, ensuring voters are aware of all the negative impacts of this Wilmot Land Assembly project on our communities, our thriving agricultural sector, and the environment.
We are pleased with the media coverage already with additional interviews planned later this week. Here are a few of the articles that have just been published:
Winterize Your Lawn Signs
As we get ready for the snowy season we hope those of you who are able will be able to keep your lawn signs out. Here are some effective ways to secure a lawn sign through harsh winter conditions, so it stays visible and withstands wind, snow, and ice:
Attach to a Fence: Instead of using the metal stakes, secure the sign directly to a sturdy fence with zip ties, bungee cords, or screws. Make sure it’s placed high enough to avoid snow buildup.
Mount on a Tree: Use a nearby tree as an anchor by fastening the sign with zip ties or bungee cords around the trunk. Avoid nails, which can harm the tree. Position it at eye level to prevent snow coverage.
Replace Metal Stakes with Wooden Posts: Swap out the standard metal stakes for wooden stakes or posts, which are more resilient against bending or breaking in frozen ground. Hammer them deeply into the soil or use rebar for added stability.
Secure with Sandbags or Rocks: Place sandbags or heavy rocks at the base of the sign to add weight and stability. This helps prevent the wind from lifting or shifting it.
Elevate on a Wooden Base: Attach the sign to a small wooden base platform and weigh the platform down with bricks or rocks. This will elevate it off the ground to prevent it from being buried by snow.
Place Inside a Storm Window Frame: For extra weatherproofing, place the sign inside an unused storm window or similar plastic frame to protect it from ice and snow damage. Or move the sign indoors to be displayed in window visible to the road.
Check and Maintain Regularly: Regularly check the sign after storms to remove any snow or ice buildup, adjust positioning, and reinforce attachments if needed.
Stay tuned, we may have a fun holiday decorating contest surrounding your lawn signs in an upcoming community update you won’t want to miss.
Talks of whether the mysterious provincial NDA is still valid and more information on the Corn Crop Destruction Report Silenced.
Our group remains deeply concerned about the destruction of the corn crop by the Region of Waterloo in August. For a moment, it seemed like our voices—through delegate speeches, public demonstrations, and appeals for accountability—were starting to resonate with the councillors. There was a sense that they were finally beginning to recognize the public’s need for transparency, especially in light of the tax dollars and food resources lost in the process. The motion to provide more details to the public in the corn shredding report, known as the Due Diligence Impacts Motion, symbolized the opportunity to start rebuilding public trust.
However, at the October 23 Regional Council meeting, hopes for transparency were shattered. Councillors had initially recommended more detailed information and even questioned whether the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that restricted public access to information was still valid. Yet, without further debate or revision, the motion was quietly dismissed “subject to the NDA” and the promise of openness was withdrawn.
This report could have been an olive branch—a small but critical first step toward repairing the fractured trust between Council and the community. Instead, it underscored why trust has been so profoundly broken. No explanation was provided for the NDA’s continued relevance, and there wasn’t any assurance that our concerns would be addressed in the future. Once again, we are left in the dark, and once again, our calls for transparency have been ignored.
We are not seeking to disrupt the system but to hold it accountable. We want to remind Council that their silence and disregard do not go unnoticed. The Region of Waterloo must understand that, without trust, progress cannot be made, and we will persist in demanding transparency for as long as it takes.
Our team is continuing to work on getting the answers everyone is seeking about the mega-industrial land assembly that stands to disrupt so much in Wilmot. Numerous investigations are also continuing and we are preparing additional Freedom Of Information requests in addition to appealing previously rejected requests. The NDP have asked for the Auditor General to intervene with a Value For The Money Audit and we continue to work with all opposition parties on the needed answers to so many questions and concerns.
Please keep speaking up to elected officials about the need for transparency, proper planning processes, and a better location with far less negative impacts for any sort of mega-industrial site.
Upcoming Events
Region of Waterloo Council Meeting: 150 Fredrick Street East, Kitchener - Wednesday, November 20th - 6:30pm Rally & Protest, Council Meeting starts at 7:00pm
Join us at the Region of Waterloo Council meeting and continue to show them we are unwilling hosts!
Baden Santa Claus Parade – November 30th at 12pm
New Hamburg Santa Claus Parade – December 1st at 6pm
We are looking for volunteers to decorate our wagon and tractors for the Santa Claus Parade! If you are interested and have experience with float decoration please reach out to us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com
Thank you to all of our supporters. We are not backing down—only growing stronger. Now is the time to put an end to this unprecedented land assembly once and for all. Together, we are unwilling hosts!