JOHNSTOWN – Negotiations to purchase the Edwardsburgh Landbank are nearing completion. The deal, which will see Edwardsburgh-Cardinal Township buy 10,000 acres of land north of Johnstown from the province. The deal is one step away from completion according to Premier Doug Ford’s office.
Ford was asked by The Leader on the status of negotiations to buy the land from the province’s land agency Infrastructure Ontario during a press conference November 12.
“I have no problem with it, to be very frank, as long as there are no kinks in it that I don’t know about,” the Premier responded. “It’s so much better when we support communities, they get things done so much quicker.”
Referring a more detailed response to his office, Hannah Jensen, director of media relations, confirmed there is one final step remaining for the deal to be completed. No time line was given on a closing date, however it is expected to close sometime in 2026.
E-C has been negotiating to buy the land since it was declared surplus by a provincial Order In Council in June 2020.
The township recently completed a deal to buy land from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville that was to be the location of the ED-19 landfill. Completing the Landbank purchase will return most of the outside government-owned or designated land to local ownership and control.
The Edwardsburgh Landbank has a mixture of land, some of which will be used for housing, while other parcels will be used for industrial development, returned to active farmland, or used for conservation.
The landbank is a collection of 32 parcels of land in three property groups. The land was purchased or expropriated by the Ontario government in 1975, and is one of four landbanks created at the time for future development.
The lands are located between County Road 18 and Highway 416, north of Johnstown, and bisected by Glen Smail Road.
Discover more from Morrisburg Leader
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.