Hanover Council is backing efforts by landowners in the path of the planned new Bruce to Milton power line to get fair compensation from Hydro One for their properties.
Landowners spokesperson Bob Wilhelm says hydro has begun to make compensation offers to landowners and not all of them are satisfactory.
If landowners don’t accept what Hydro One offers, their properties will then be taken through expropriation.
Wilhelm says there are seven or eight homes in Hanover that Hydro will have to take in order to build the line.
He says as the amount of time decreases before Hydro One wants to begin construction, they’re going to be putting extra pressure on property owners to sign compensation deals faster than they want to.
The slow process of offering compensation deals has made it difficult for some property owners to plan their moves to new homes.
Wilhelm says it’s difficult to have your home expropriated and it’s also difficult to put a dollar value on it when properties to relocate to in Hanover are in short supply.
Mayor Kathi Maskell says Council wants to do what it has set out to achieve since the beginning–to make sure Hydro One gives a fair compensation deal to property owners.
Maskell says local mayors have met with Hydro One officials requesting fairness.
Councillor Peter Hambly says its tough for people to have to sell properties they don’t really want to sell and he has no problem endorsing fair compensation for the affected property owners.
Brockton Council recently endorsed the landowner’s drive for fairness and the request has also been made to West Grey Council.
Hydro One has promised to offer compensation based on market value and a 15 percent bonus to landowners who sign an agreement.
