The equity, 19 mai 1976, mercredi 19 mai 1976

[" ERREUR(S) DE NUMEROTATION > IW BIBLIOTHEQTIE 11 MONT/Æ H2X 3 K VOICE OF THE PON TIA C 15 cents per copy 19, 1976 Showville, Que, Wednesday, May No.18 93rd Year NCC PURCHASING LAND TO GAIN REGIONAL POWER I What are the effects of such a strategy?(Please reed this excerpt from the CRDO brief to the Joint Committee on the National Capital Region.) For lack of constitutional powers, the N.C.C.has expressly acknowledged that it will use strategies to force its views on those municipalities - (on both sides of the Ottawa River).First of all, through its land purchases, the N.C.C.is the prime instigator of land inflation in the region.\u201cWe have spent a total of $200 million to acquire lands\" the N.C.C.tells us in its 1972-73 annual report.\"Today their value is between $800 million and $1 billion.\" While in 1974, the average cost of a lot for a house built with the CMHC guaranteed loan was $2,500.00 for the province of Quebec as a whole, in Hull the average was $6,180.00.For the same year th* Canadian average was $4,280.00.Can we avoid putting most of the responsibility on the N.C.C.land purchasing policy in the inflationist curve that is witnessed in the Quebec Outaouais region?I I Mi Our land it very ttrategicaJly placed, and few roads can be built or utilities planned that do not involve the crossing of N.C.C.land.While we have used our veto powers sparingly, the effect of it has been to give us some say in the areas of planning where we have no constitutional jurisdiction.IPage 25, NCC Annual Report for 1972\u201873.\\ As the N.C.C.puts it, the result is \"that land is source of power .a Secondly, in addition to contributing to inflation, the purchasing by the Federal Government of a constantly increasing percentage of the Quebec Outaouais Region territory is seriously prejudicial to the municipalities which have been placed in charge of the development of their territory by the province.When 40% of the territory already belongs to the N.C.C.that is using it to exercise its right of veto, how can a municipality develop its territory and meet its community's needs?Although we cannot speak de jure of a Federal district, the discretionary powers exercised by the N.C.C.on the municipalities of the region through its extensive budget and its not less important land assets leave us with a Federal district de facto situation that has only to be approved in a more or less remote future.The saga of the gospel sign.How does the purchase of land become a source of power?Because with its possession, the N.C.C.can paralyse municipal provincial projects We only need to recall the construction of Highway 50 between Gatineau Point via the Raftsmen's bridge and the Freeway, that had been delayed for over two years by the N.C.C.s refusal to let the highway go through its Leamy Lake lands.Are delays in the hiway A 5 development not due to a disagreement between the responsible authorities and tne N.C.C.that owned the land?By thus blocking projects that cross its lands, the N.C.C.controls the Ottawa region highway development.This insatiable power is apparent on the Quebec side by mass purchase of lands.Today 40% of the Hull territory, 50% of the Hull West territory and 20% of the territory between its Quebec limits are owned by the N.C.C.Moreover, to achieve its objectives, every means is good, including the use of intermediaries.Are intermediaries used only to prevent speculation or is it not a means to avoid dialogue with local and regional authorities?