Sharing today’s email update from Councillor Curry:
I wanted to provide residents with an update on activity that took place today at the Kanata Golf and Country Club lands.
Last evening, Minto’s Director of Development sent me an email letting me know that testing would be taking place on the golf course starting this morning. I didn’t read the email until this morning. As you can imagine, I was very surprised by the short notice and contacted the Director immediately. I also drove over to the golf course just in time to see a bulldozer making its way down the golf course fairways.
I immediately called the person who sent me the email. I also contacted a number of City staff, the Mayor’s office and the City Solicitor. The Mayor’s office and all City staff who I contacted acted immediately to find out what was going on. I made it clear to everyone that this type of minimal notice for any work being done on the golf course is unacceptable. Minto has since apologized.
Today, Minto has since advised us that “the work planned over the next day or two involves completing snow clearing and layout work in preparation for upcoming monitoring. These monitoring efforts will help inform and guide our detailed engineering work.”
Given that the golf course contains contaminated soil and serves as a stormwater management area for the surrounding community, ongoing testing is required and is something Minto is permitted to carry out.
To give additional background, on November 18th, 2025 Minto representatives committed to meeting with the community and to keeping both my office and residents informed of any work taking place on the golf course. During our call early this morning, I reminded them of that unfulfilled commitment. Within a few minutes after the call, Minto representatives contacted our community leaders to set up a meeting. They contacted the president of the KGPC, the president of the KLCA, and the president of the KBCA.
As you know, next week, I will be bringing forward a motion to Council which I brought as a Notice of Motion to last week’s Council Meeting. It will ensure staff are reminded that the City intends to fully enforce all 192 conditions associated with this development. I have also reminded Minto that covenants remain in place on this property, including the requirement that “it shall not alter the grading of the Golf Lands or any of the stormwater management facilities on or serving the Golf Lands.” Residents can review this document.
To say that I am disappointed with how this situation was handled by Minto staff today is an understatement. The City’s Planning Director, Derek Moodie, advised me that upon hearing that there was activity going on on the golf course lands, he directed City staff to be on site today to ensure all activities were being carried out correctly and in compliance with existing requirements. This afternoon, I received this email from Derek Moodie.
Good Afternoon, Councillor Curry,
As discussed, Development Inspections did attend the site this morning and spoke with a representative of a local contractor, ASL. They have been contracted to clear snow and create a drivable path through the golf course to facilitate soil testing.
I have spoken with Minto and they have indicated to me that they are looking to dig a number of test pits. They also indicated that they will not be removing any trees; they will not be affecting our easements; and that it will not involve large scale earth works. If, as indicated, the works are limited to test pits, it would not affect the restrictive covenants that speak largely to alteration of drainage patterns.
Section 142 (5)(b) of the Municipal Act exempts activities related to conditions of approval for a Plan of Subdivision from municipal bylaws related to Site Alteration.
There are several conditions of Draft Approval, granted by the OLT, that would trigger further soils investigations as it appears is happening onsite today.
The City has not granted any permissions for tree removal or site alteration. City approvals will be required, (through a Commence Work Notification) before any actual construction of roads or installation of services can take place.
Staff will continue to monitor the situation, and I have asked our inspector to visit the site again this afternoon and provide a further update.
Even later this afternoon, Derrick sent another email to me. It is below.
Inspections was out this afternoon and has shared the following response that they have received from Minto.
“The work planned over the next day or two involves completing snow clearing and layout work in preparation for upcoming monitoring works. Once more information becomes available, we will provide an update.”
During his visit, the inspector identified that the bulldozer seemed to be clearing snow in the area identified in the picture below.
I know that many residents were very upset today. So was I. Please know that City staff and I will continue to closely monitor the situation and will provide updates to residents as necessary.
Councillor Cathy Curry