City councillor opposes warehouse build in Cambridge

Rendering of a proposed warehouse in Cambridge (Supplied: Cambridge council)

KITCHENER — A Cambridge city councillor is fighting back against a plan to build a one-million-square-foot warehouse near the village of Blair.

Councillor Jan Liggett formally asked council to reconsider it’s endorsement of a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) that will allow the developer to fast track the approval process.

Liggett said council rushed into making a decision before reaching out for public feedback.

"We have had no public consultation and I believe that is because there was a lack of clarity around our ability to consult with our community, a lack of clarity that we didn't even know there was,” she said.

She added MZOs have been used sparingly in the past, “but are increasingly being used with more fervour.”

Liggett’s motion was shot down by a vote of seven to one.

Residents of the Blair neighbourhood have also signed a letter asking the city to reconsider the development. Some concerns from residents include traffic, noise, light pollution, environmental and heritage.

The letter also includes a list of possible solutions.

As of Thursday morning, the online petition has gathered over 38-hundred signatures.

The distribution centre is planned for the corner of Old Mill and Dickie Settlement Roads. The build’s developer, Broccolini, has not disclosed what the warehouse will be used for but has built dozens of Amazon fulfillment centres.

If the MZO goes through, the developer hopes to start construction this summer and finish the project in the summer of 2022.