Citizen group says Cambridge councillor misrepresented warehouse support

A citizens' group, formed by people living near the site of a future 100,000-square metre warehouse in Cambridge, Ont., says city council isn't listening to its concerns and is even misrepresenting the level of community support for the project.

Alan Van Norman,co-chair of Blair Engaged, said"90 per cent of Blair is definitely against [the warehouse]" and that an online petition opposing the warehouse is just a few namesshy of 25,000 signatures.

In December of last yeara poll by Mainstreet Research, commissioned by Blair Engaged,found that 72 per centof Cambridge residents felt they should have been consulted on the proposal.The survey was conducted using automated telephone interviews (Smart IVR) and online of576 adults age 18 or older, living in the city of Cambridge. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 4.1% at the 95% confidence level for a similarly sized probability-based sample.(CBCcannot accurately calculate a margin of error for IVR polls.)

On Tuesday, Ward 1 city councillor Donna Reid toldThe Morning Edition's hostCraig Norris that council had the support of the majority of people living in Cambridge to proceed with the warehouse project.

Last week, Cambridge council waived a notice of motion and with a vote of 6-2 decided to proceed with atransportation impact study and a heritage impact assessment on acontentious warehouse to be built by Broccolini Real Estate Group on Old Mill Road in Blair.

Approving that motioneffectively restarted the project that appeared to have been shelved in March. The study and assessment were conditions for the MZOthat was issued in April of 2021.

Concessions made: Reid

Reid told CBC last week's surprise motion was only given the green light after council heard from Blair residents.

Reid saidcouncil listened to their concerns and made amendments, includinga cap on truck traffic during peak andnon-peak times and a green wall to make the warehouse less visible andlights at Cedar Creek Road were also removedand replaced withheritage lights.

Van Norman said Wednesday those amendments are far from guaranteed because the warehouse is being built with 112 truck loading bays and operations are expected to run 24/7, every day of the year.

With that many loading bays the warehouse will have the capacity to hold over two thousand trucks per day, said Van Norman.

"Why would they build that kind of a capacity and then tell the City of Cambridge they're only going to use 15 per cent of that?" asked Van Norman. "The logic just doesn't work here."

Van Norman saidthe city never properly consulted with residents orIndigenous groups and that the group of Blair residents opposed to the warehouse development are now evaluating their next steps.

That includes legal options, which he said is a "very big step for a group of independent citizens to take."

Van Norman said the people of Blair will also make their feelings known at the ballot box in the upcoming municipal election, this fall.

"Our objective right now is to get a new Ward 1 councillor and a new mayor," he said.