The location of the Upton Farmland property [click on “Pictures” on the right hand panel of this page to see location] leads one to ask the question: what effect will the development of this property have on the thriving oyster fishery in the North River Estuary? 

 The answer is NOBODY KNOWS.

Canada Lands Company,  the Crown Corporation marketing the land for the federal government, is NOT required by the federal government to do an environmental assessment prior to selling the land.

However, under section 3.8 of the Charlottetown Official Plan, the City of Charlottetown could have demanded, at the very least, that an environmental impact statement be prepared prior to development:

 “3. Our policy shall be to require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any new development which, in the City’s judgment, could have a significant environmental impact on the land, water, or air (including noise).”

City Council did NOT ask for an EIS.

Are you surprised? So were we!

And this isn’t the first time taxpayers were taken unaware by this kind of news. Check out what the people of Richmond, BC, encountered when they asked if an environmental assessment had been done on CLC property there. Don’t you think taxpayers deserve better than this?

http://www.richmond-news.com/issues05/121105/news/121105nn7.html