A contentious land deal between Brant County and the City of Brantford could be changing. The two municipalities announced an agreement had been reached in May that brought them one step closer to formally moving the Brantford Municipal Airport within city boundaries. The airfield is currently located in Brant County. Brant County and Brantford have been locked in a lengthy debate over the future of the airport lands and the airport. Late last year, the city asked the province to step in and, in March, a provincial facilitator was appointed to help steer the conversation. The province gave the county and the city a deadline of June 30 to come to terms. However, after the tentative deal was announced, residents began raising concerns about how the process played out, namely, how the speed of the deal limited the public’s ability to provide input. On Monday, Brantford and Brant County issued a joint statement regarding those concerns. “Over the past month, extensive input has been collected through the public engagement campaign,” the statement said. “Based on the feedback received, both city and county representatives are carefully reviewing the proposal and are seriously considering changes that directly respond to the concerns and perspectives shared by residents.” The statement goes on to say both councils are considering revisions to the original proposal and will likely hold statutory meetings near the end of July to offer more opportunities for residents to voice their opinions. “City and county officials recognize the importance of listening to the community and remain committed to addressing the feedback received as this process unfolds,” the statement concluded.
