Farmer questions possible land expropriation
REGINA — A farmer from Kelvington, Sask., says provincial conservation and development associations have far too much power when they can expropriate farmland that has been in families for generations.
Sandy Lowndes was among area farmers who received information packages about the Kelvington C and D’s plans to move water through Duck Creek, along with an easement request. If people don’t sign the easements, the C and D could expropriate the land it needs, she said.
She believes the C and Ds are essentially an agency of the provincial government if they move to expropriate.
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“It looks better if your local farmers are (expropriating) because (government can) say they’re an elected board and this is what the people want,” Lowndes said in an interview.
“That’s entirely not true. I don’t think any farmer is in favour of somebody threatening to take their land away from them.”
Why it Matters: C and Ds do have the power to expropriate land, but only if agreements for easements can’t be reached. Many farmers complain they are forced to accept water they don’t want because upstream landowners want to get rid of it.
Lowndes said the Kelvington group has not held a public meeting, as required, and is operating in a heavy-handed way.
“They’ve never called me. They’ve never invited myself or our farm to a meeting to discuss this and they’ve never had a public meeting,” she said.
“I think they applied to the Water Security Agency two years ago for a permit or a registration on the Duck Creek so that they can get all of the farmers upstream … legal.”
Landowners had until Nov. 15 to sign the easements or face possible expropriation, she said.
Lowndes said she has had issues with larger farmers wanting to drain onto her organic land for many years. She also has a lot of trees, wildlife and bee habitat along the creek running through her property.
“I don’t want them to knock all my trees down, and the maps they sent me basically show if they want to they can knock all my trees down,” she said.
“They can turn it into a channel. They showed me maps where they go into my land a mile-and-a-half where I have runs and they want me to sign easements or they will expropriate.”
In her case, about 130 acres is involved, but she said a neighbour would face flooding of nearly a half-section. Lowndes said the C and D used old photographs that show the neighbour’s land under water, although he in fact crops it.
Lowndes also said she is aware the C and D sent out 78 packages, but her farm received four of them, so she isn’t sure just how many people are affected.
Kelvington C and D board chair Dallas Bollman said in an email the project is overseen by the Kelvington board in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Conservation and Development Association.
“Its purpose is to support long-term water management and maintenance,” Bollman said.
“The Kelvington C and D board oversees the local project details, while SCDA provides technical and governance support to ensure projects meet regulatory and operational standards.”
He said there are differing perspectives on the project.
“The board continues to ensure that all concerns are reviewed respectfully,” he said, adding the board has followed the required engagement with affected landowners.
Source: producer.com