City takes first steps to expropriate land at City Centre Airport

The city has taken the first steps towards expropriating land at the City Centre Airport, after a recommendation that council begin the process.

Wednesday afternoon, a city committee recommended council move forward with plans for expropriating land at the airport. If approved, it would affect nearly 200 businesses and lease holders.

The city expects the total cost of expropriating the land will be around $80 million, and could end all airport related business by early next year.

“I think they’re kind of out to lunch,” said Matthew Lawrence who owns a storage facility on the land adding, “Our last appraisal, which was 3 years old was somewhere in $16 to $20 million. That’s one building, and they have to replace and move everyone.”

Mark Hall, the city’s interim director for city centre redevelopment, says the exact amount businesses will receive will be part of the negotiation process, if the expropriation process goes ahead.

“The actual number will be determined based on market value and other damages that are assessed at the time.”

It isn’t just business owners on the land that are concerned. There are many businesses just outside of the expropriation area that will be negatively impacted.

Cindy Boogmans-Smutt is the co-owner of Alberta Aero Engine, an aviation business just eight metres off the land.

“Because we are not on the airport lands, we are not entitled to any compensation under the expropriation act.”

Boogmans-Smutt says she only recently learned of this move, and is now left wondering where her business can go from here.

“We kind of thought we had a couple of years to make that decision, and now we have months to make that decision.”

The recommendation goes to council on October 3rd. If passed, the land would be expropriated by February with development slated to begin in 2014.

With files from Ross Neitz.