Ontario NDP calls for value-for-money audit into Ford’s Wilmot land grab

WATERLOO – Catherine Fife (Waterloo), NDP critic for Finance, and John Vanthof (Timiskaming – Cochrane), NDP critic for Agriculture and Rural Affairs have written to the Auditor General calling for a value-for-money audit into Ford’s Wilmot land grab that is forcing local farmers to sell off their lands.

“Ford is playing politics with the livelihood of our farmers,” said Fife. “Why is the province leading an opaque plan to take away farmland from hard-working farmers in Wilmot without telling them what is going on? The people of Wilmot deserve answers, and that is why we are calling for an audit of this land assembly. Waterloo region has always treated farmers with respect. This is not the ‘Waterloo way’ and our community will not be bullied. It’s about time Ford gave the farmers of Wilmot some real answers.”

“We are losing 319 acres of farmland daily in Ontario,” said Vanthof. “Forcing farmers to give up their farms, often at a loss, and not telling them anything is beyond disrespectful. It proves how much disdain Ford and his government have for our province’s hard-working farmers. We will fight for our farmland and get to the bottom of this mess.”

BACKGROUND:

• In April, Marit Stiles and members of the Ontario NDP held a town hall in Wilmot to hear from farmers about what is happening to their farmland.
• The province has been funding and directing a plan for the Region of Waterloo to acquire prime farmland in Wilmot for industrial development.
• The province has directed that this plan be carried out in secret, requiring local officials to sign NDAs
• The public is looking for answers to this land acquisition and why the province has planned to put an industrial complex in the middle of prime farmland.
• MPPs Fife and Vanthof have written to the Auditor General seeking a value-for-money audit of the land assembly plan and investigate whether the province’s decisions are consistent with provincial plans, policies, and laws.