BRITANNIA FARM: Citizenography

There were plans to redevelop 32 acres of the 200-acre Britannia Farm (owned by the Peel District School Board) as a commercial hi-rise office complex under a 99-year lease, which have now been withdrawn (May 2011) from the City of Mississauga's planning approvals process by the developer, Toronto-based Osmington Inc.  MIRANET continues to track this issue -- see Reverse Chronology further below these photos taken from the property (click to enlarge).

Reverse chronology:

November 7, 2011: Mississauga News article: Who gets cash from Britannia Farm land deal?  Excerpt: "Board Chair Janet McDougald ... revealed the school board and Osmington are now discussing the disbursement of several hundred thousand dollars put in trust as part of the deal.  McDougald did not know the exact amount, but said it was between $500,000 and $1 million.  The board believes it is owed the money and Osmington thinks otherwise, she said. ... As for the fate of the land, she said the board is moving forward with other possible options for preserving the property and still using a portion to generate revenue.  However, she's 'not at liberty to say' at this time what other options are currently being considered."

July 9, 2011: Mississauga News article: Lucrative farm deal stopped. 
Excerpt: "A land development deal expected to bring the public school board millions of dollars, is apparently dead.  Peel District School Board officials confirmed yesterday that the development proposal [for commercial office space] for about 32 acres of board-owned farmland in Mississauga has been withdrawn. ... Signing of the [99-year lease] deal had been awaiting planning application approvals from the City of Mississauga.  [Toronto-based developer] Osmington was seeking rezoning and construction approvals from the city until the company unexpectedly withdrew its applications sometime in May."

December 17, 2010: Mississauga News article: Heritage buildings moving.
Excerpt: "The City of Mississauga's Heritage Advisory Committee [HAC] has approved plans to move three historically significant buildings on the 200-acre Britannia Farm to pave the way for a commercial office building. The decision to relocate the heritage structures — Britannia Farm House, Chisholm Gardner Dunton House and Conover Barn — about 160 metres north of their current sites was made at the committee's meeting on Tuesday. With some trepidation, committee members gave their approval."

NOTES:
► Click for the Heritage Advisory Committee AGENDA: December 14, 2010.
► Click for the Corporate Report: Nov. 30, 2010 (10p PDF), which recommended approval.
► Click for Appendices 1, 3 & 4 (3p PDF) to the Corporate Report, including a location map and letters from Janet McDougald, Chair of the Peel District School Board, and Shirley Hoad, Chair of The Friends of the Old Britannia Schoolhouse.
► Click for the MINUTES of the HAC meeting (beginning on p3 of the PDF).
► Appendix 2 (100p Heritage Impact Statement) has been received by MIRANET.

January 26, 2010: Mississauga News Opinion Column, by Stephen Wahl: Sold out cheap.
Excerpt: "The Premier and Ministers decided they had the assurances needed to grant an Order in Council [permitting the 99-year lease of land on the Britannia Farm]. It was subsequently signed by the Lieutenant Governor on Sept. 17. Local MPPs apparently didn’t learn of the OIC being granted until earlier this month, when The Mississauga News published the article, 'Cabinet approves Britannia Farm Plan.'"

NOTE: MIRANET has independently verified that local MPPs were not informed. MIRANET is also awaiting a response from the Chair of the Peel District School Board, per request for information on Jan. 15, 2010.

January 7, 2010: Mississauga News article: Cabinet approves Britannia Farm plan.
Excerpt: "The Peel District School Board’s plan to transform about 32 acres of board-owned farmland in the heart of the city into commercial office space has received a nod from the Ontario Liberal government cabinet. ... The board has agreed to give Osmington Inc. a 99-year lease agreement ... contingent on Osmington’s development plan meeting municipal building standards."

August 11, 2009: Mississauga News article: School farm deal awaits approval.
Excerpt: "A 99-year lease agreement would permit the developer to build an office complex with some retail space on the property fronting Hwy. 10. [Developer] Osmington would pay the entire 99-year lease up front, according to the Board. However, the Education Act does not permit a school board to lease its land for more than 21 years, said Board chair Janet McDougald. This agreement will require the government to issue an Order in Council, she noted."

June 25, 2009: The Britannia Farm Land Proposal PRESENTATION, June 5, 2009 (21p PDF) has been provided to MIRANET by the PDSB. It presents a comprehensive history of the Britannia Farm property and the Osmington Project. Included are aerial maps, financial details, preliminary site plan and heritage building information, as well as a review of the required Order-in-Council. A one-page outline of the PDSB Environmental Education programs (June 2009) that could be available to students and enhanced by the investment revenue from the Osmington lease agreement has also been provided by the PDSB Chair, and includes the Britannia Farm Field Centre.

June 3, 2009: A PETITION regarding the Britannia Farm was presented in the Ontario Legislature on June 3 and 4, 2009 by Bob Delaney, MPP for Mississauga-Streetsville.
 Excerpt: "WHEREAS the Peel District School Board has submitted an application to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (via the Ministry of Education) for an Order in Council to have the Crown Patent lifted in whole or in part, from the property known as the Britannia Farm; so that the Peel Board can then lease the land to a private developer; ... WE the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: The request for an Order in Council, to have the Crown Patent lifted in whole or in part, from the property known as the Britannia Farm be denied."

NOTE: While the Petition needs to be redirected to Cabinet, the intention of the Petition is having an impact, and Cabinet is hearing Mississauga MPPs who believe more information is required before a decision is taken.

April 28, 2009: Janet McDougald, Chair of the Peel District School Board, appeared at the meeting of the Mississauga Heritage Advisory Committee (HAC) to provide an update on the negotiations with Osmington Inc. concerning a 99-year lease and development deal on a 32-acre portion of the Britannia Farm lands.  Click for the MINUTES of the HAC meeting (beginning on p4 of the PDF).

Mississauga News article (April 28, 2009): Heritage committee not buying farm plan. Includes aerial photo/diagram.

April 14, 2009: Mississauga News Opinion Column, by Stephen Wahl: A steal of a deal.

March 25, 2009: Osmington Inc, on behalf of the Peel District School Board, is submitting an application to the Ontario Legislature requesting an Order-in-Council to lift the Crown Patent on 32-acre portion of the Britannia Farm.

April 10, 2008: A public meeting was held by the Peel District School Board to present plans for development on the Britannia Farms lands.  Click for the PRESENTATION (28p PDF).

Peel District School Board, Press Release (April 10, 2008): Student programs will expand on Britannia Farm thanks to new development plan.

Mississauga News article (April 10, 2008): Board to add eight high-rise offices to farm.

March 2, 2005: A public meeting was held by the Peel District School Board to create a development framework for Britannia Farm.  Click for the PRESENTATION (52p PDF).