Hundreds of acres of prime farmland in Wilmot Township, Ontario, are being transformed into a large-scale industrial site, fueling speculation and controversy about its potential use for a future Toyota plant. This land assembly, initiated over a year ago, has sparked intense opposition from local farmers, property owners, and environmental advocates, as it moves forward without clear public information about its final purpose.
The project began in response to the Ontario government’s call for municipalities to assemble “shovel-ready” land to attract major industrial investments. Specifically, the Region of Waterloo and Wilmot Township set their sights on 770 acres, approximately 323 hectares, located between Bleams Road, Nafziger Road, Highway 7, and Wilmot Centre Road. The land, which includes six farms and six residential properties, is being acquired with the goal of attracting large employers, though no specific company has been publicly identified as the site’s future occupant.
Farmers and landowners began receiving offers from the Region of Waterloo last March. Several of them have reported feeling coerced into selling, with some facing the threat of expropriation if they do not comply. To date, the region has spent $18 million purchasing a 161-acre farm and three residential properties, accounting for just 20% of the land targeted for assembly.
Despite the official claim that the land is being prepared for a large employer, speculation has swirled about Toyota’s involvement. Though Toyota has publicly denied any direct involvement in the land assembly process, multiple sources have revealed that the land is being prepared with the expectation that the automaker may build a new plant, potentially a battery manufacturing facility, in the region. Sources with knowledge of the situation have noted that the site is “ready for Toyota whenever it’s ready for it.” The proximity of this site to Toyota’s existing assembly plants in Cambridge and Woodstock further fuels this theory, as the two plants have been central to Toyota’s operations in Ontario for decades.
The land assembly in Wilmot Township has not come without significant opposition. Many in the local farming community are expressing concern not only about the loss of valuable farmland but also about the secrecy surrounding the project. As of now, local property owners, some of whom have lived on their land for generations, are left uncertain about the future of their properties. One farmer, Stewart Snyder, reported that after rejecting the region’s initial offer to purchase his land, he was presented with a much higher offer that included a troubling clause—if the region later determines it no longer needs the land, it would be returned to the farmer. This ambiguity, along with the threat of expropriation, has left many feeling disenfranchised and angry.
Furthermore, environmental groups and agricultural organizations, including the National Farmers Union, have raised alarms about the long-term environmental impacts of converting this farmland into industrial use. The Ontario Farmland Trust warns that the province is losing 319 acres of farmland every day to development, a trend that, if left unchecked, will deplete the province’s farmland within a century. Once farmland is paved over, it can no longer fulfill essential ecological functions like sequestering carbon, mitigating floods, and providing wildlife habitat.
Local political leaders are also weighing in on the controversy, with some questioning the transparency of the process. In the upcoming 2025 provincial election, the land assembly issue is likely to be a key talking point in Wilmot Township and the surrounding areas. Conservative MPP Mike Harris Jr., the son of former Ontario Premier Mike Harris, faces growing dissatisfaction among his rural supporters, many of whom are concerned about the loss of farmland and the lack of clarity about the site’s future. During a recent all-candidates meeting, Harris was booed and accused of dishonesty, with some voters accusing the government of withholding critical information.
In addition to local opposition, broader concerns about the economic and strategic implications of this land assembly have emerged. Sources suggest that the site may be ideal for a Toyota electric vehicle battery plant, a project that could align with the company’s growing focus on electric vehicles. Toyota’s global push to diversify its production, particularly with the opening of a new plant in North Carolina dedicated to electric vehicle batteries, highlights the shifting dynamics in the automotive industry. If Toyota were to build such a facility in Ontario, it would bolster the province’s electric vehicle supply chain, which has already received significant investment in recent years. However, some fear that if Ontario doesn’t act quickly to secure this investment, the future of Toyota’s Ontario operations could be at risk, particularly in light of political pressures from the United States, where tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles have been a constant threat under former President Donald Trump.
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In an effort to ensure the region remains competitive, the Ontario government has been involved in lobbying efforts to support the land assembly and secure funding for its development. However, critics argue that the secrecy surrounding the project, the lack of clear communication from both the provincial and regional governments, and the expropriation of farmland for an undisclosed industrial purpose have left the community with a sense of unease and distrust.
As the land assembly project moves forward, farmers and property owners in Wilmot Township are left grappling with the uncertainty of their future and the loss of their land. Many have voiced concerns that the promises of job creation and economic growth do not outweigh the environmental and social costs of this massive land conversion. In the coming years, the controversy over the land assembly in Wilmot will likely continue to shape political discourse, especially as the 2025 Ontario election approaches. For now, the question remains: What will ultimately be built on the land, and what will the impact be for the community and the environment?