OrilliaMatters received the following letter to the editor from Konrad Brenner regarding the story published Tuesday regarding the city's expropriation of rights.
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Orillia Matters reported on the action taken by the City Council Committee on March 25 on the matter of extending Coldwater Road to the waterfront.
Council Committee approved a number of expropriations (of rights) ranging from access issues to easements. However, there are two stranges aspect to this approval.
Firstly, the report provides no cost estimate of this expropriation.
Secondly, Laura Thompson, Manger of Real Estate and Commercial Development, is quoted as having stated: “The city is merely removing the rights of other people so the site can be redeveloped.”
This creates the impression that this particular expropriation is something less than a normal expropriation.
“Ownership” in this country (leaving the matter of Indigenous rights aside) is simply the right to use and enjoy a property and the right to compensation as “ownership” ultimately rests with the Crown.
So “removing the rights” is a serious matter.
Konrad Brenner
Ramara Township
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