CBC News - Saskatchewan - Regina-area farmer upset about expropriation
Land banking by the Saskatchewan government for a "Global Transportation Hub" in the Regina area is drawing criticism from local landowners. The province has begun to expropriate land but the issue of compensation for the land remains outstanding. The government has said that landowners are assured to receive fair market value for their land, but whether that is undeveloped agricultural land value or something closer to the development value of the land remains to be seen.
The total project area is to include 1,600 acres and the project is to be completed by 2012. Saskatchewan has also expropriated land to allow for Loblaw Companies Ltd. to build a new warehouse and distribution centre.
What the Brad Wall Government’s Land Bank ignores is that in a fair market value transaction, there is a willing buyer and a willing seller. There is nothing fair about nationalizing land by force, and being handed a pamphlet to contact a Public and Private Rights Board to seek compensation for land, you did not want to sell. This expropriation is not for a public road or hospital, it is to cater to shareholder owned corporations at the expense of private individuals property values. This land is someone’s livelihood or self made retirement savings plan, development of this land will be imminent and it is sure to increase in future value. Apparently the government thinks the free or fair market system is not the way to do business in Saskatchewan. The Global Transportation Hub (GTH) Authority says assembling the land is consistent with the social and economic development of the Province. Decades ago under a previous socialist government, some big industries like the Wall government is trying to locate in Saskatchewan were nationalized, under the same reasoning.
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