Freedom of Information requests denied for Fight for Farmland group

The Fight for Farmland Group has filed 21 basic Freedom of Information Requests with the Region of Waterloo, 18 of which were denied entirely, and the remaining three answered with “no record” nor information, the group said in a news release.

Read Also

S-Cap invests $23.55 million into horticulture to boost competitiveness

Horticulture research and innovation is getting a $23.55 million boost from the federal and provincial governments. The multi-year Sustainable Canadian…

The group filed the requests 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,” it said.

The group said the Region’s denial of these requests is “unusual” and raises serious concerns about the transparency and legality of their actions.

The denied information includes requests for critical details that should already be public knowledge and part of the Region’s research and planning process, according to the group. These requests include:

• Alternative Site Evaluation: Request for details on other sites evaluated and the selection criteria used.

• Official Plan and Farmland Protection: Inquiry into discussions about the project’s compliance with the Regional Official Plan’s commitment to protect farmland.

• Transparency and Decision-Making: Request for a copy of the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), details of signatories, and penalties for breach. Additionally, clarification is needed on the claim that no NDA existed and that discussions were held in in-camera meetings protected by the Municipal Act. This includes requests for minutes, documents, and agendas explaining the decision for secretive discussions, how Vive Developments was so knowledgeable about the project before any public announcement, and whether proper procedures were followed in closed meetings discussing the mega site.

• Wastewater and Treatment: Information on the capacity and impact on local wastewater treatment facilities.

• Drinking Water: Studies on the impact on local drinking water resources.

• Highway, Roads, and Rail Access: Details on transportation infrastructure planning and studies.

• Project Costs and Expenses: Inquiry into cost estimates for required road upgrades, water and wastewater treatment plant upgrades, rail improvements, and other required infrastructure improvements requiring significant capital investments.

The full list of specific questions is available at fightforfarmland.com 

The group said the only information provided by the Region was a document on water and wastewater indicating that there is likely insufficient sewage capacity for the mega site.

“It is very concerning to see the lack of response to these basic questions about this proposed industrial mega-site and its impacts on the surrounding communities,” said Alfred Lowrick, spokesperson for the Fight For Farmland group. “We have to wonder what the Region is hiding and if they have even done the needed investigations, studies, and research for this massive proposal that will have such huge impacts.”

“According to the legal experts we have consulted so far, it is very unusual for simple Freedom of Information requests such as this to be completely denied by governments.  It certainly isn’t in the best public interest to see so much secrecy and important information such as studies and research that has been paid for with tax dollars withheld from the public,”  Kevin Thomason, vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network, said in the release. “Unless those studies haven’t been done and there’s nothing to share.”

The Fight for Farmland group alleges the Region has conducted these actions in secrecy, without a single public meeting, and contradicting long-established plans and planning concepts in the Region’s Official Plan. The group said it 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. 

The Fight for Farmland Group is said it is appealing the Region’s lack of response to its Freedom of Information Requests to the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner and is asking the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the many in-camera meetings to determine their legality. It is also requesting the Integrity Commissioner investigate how Vive Developments became aware of the land assembly weeks before any information was made public.