Pikwakanagan Chief Wendy Jocko comments on Carlsbad Springs forest clearcut

Dear Chief Jocko,

I am a reporter with CJRO Radio, based in Carlsbad Springs, the town that will be heavily affected by the proposed subdivision where your First Nation is partners with the Taggart family of developers.

Over the weekend it was reported to CJRO News that Taggarts have claimed they are cleaning up after storm damage, but they have in fact removed about 200 acres of forest in one fell swoop. Most of the work has been done at night, in the dark, and thousands of logs were hauled out by Ottawa Cedar Lumber, with zero notification to the Carlsbad Springs community and with almost no consultation with the community throughout this whole rushed process.

Also, have Taggarts ever informed you, as their partners, about their plans for a mega-landfill very near that proposed subdivision? They have not kept the community informed but continue to hold this threat over residents' heads. Have they told you if they are considering developing it instead of making it a 450,000 tonne/year landfill?

If you wish I can forward pictures of the destroyed forest.

Best regards,

Candice Vetter

On Behalf of Chief Wendy Jocko; Pease see the response below. Good Afternoon, Thank you kindly for your email and questions. Kindly see below. Tewin is an exciting city-building project that will transform land in southeast Ottawa into a sustainable, connected and complete community founded on Algonquin values. The Algonquins of Ontario, along with the Taggart family, are proud owners of this land. We are calling the land Tewin (pronounced “Tay-Win”), which means “home.” The area in question was farmed several decades ago, and since then, a mix of grass, brush and trees have grown on the agricultural land. Of note, this area remains outside of the urban boundary, is not designated floodplain or wetland, and suffered severe damage last May as a result of the storm. To clean up the debris from the storm and also prepare the land for future farming use, the maintenance and clearing of the site were necessary. The areas where the damage was less severe, and the tree canopy remained were left as untouched as possible with the exception of areas in close proximity to power lines and roads. City of Ottawa staff was made aware of the clean-up. There are hundreds of acres of mature forests in the Tewin area that will be protected and enhanced, and will be a cornerstone of the Tewin community and its commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation. With respect to your question regarding the proposed recycling and waste disposal facility, the AOO was asked to provide comment on the project many years ago and did not express any concern or issue related to the proposed project. Thank you Wendy Jocko, Chief Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation