County, City enter provincially directed negotiations over airport lands
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
Casandra Turnbull
Managing Editor
The County of Brant and the City of Brantford are set to begin negotiations over a potential boundary adjustment involving the Brantford Municipal Airport lands, following direction from the Province of Ontario and the appointment of a provincial facilitator.
The County issued a public update the evening of March 24 outlining the provincially directed process, with the City of Brantford releasing its own statement the following day.
According to the County of Brant press release, the municipality received official communication on March 10 from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing directing both parties to enter discussions under Section 174 of the Municipal Act. The process includes a firm deadline of June 30, 2026 to reach an agreement.
The lands in question are owned and operated by the City of Brantford but are located within the County of Brant’s municipal boundaries, a long-standing arrangement that has presented governance and planning challenges for both municipalities.
The County acknowledged the directive but expressed concern over how the process was initiated.
“While the County of Brant is disappointed by the manner in which this process was initiated and by the compressed timelines, Council and staff remain committed to achieving the best possible outcome for County residents, City residents, the Province and First Nations,” the County officials stated in its press release. “We will approach these discussions in good faith and expect that our counterparts at the City of Brantford will do the same.”
The issue stems from a November 2025 Airport Board recommendation that Brantford City Council request the Province examine restructuring options for the airport lands. That recommendation was later approved by city council and forwarded to the Province.
In a separate statement released March 25, Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis welcomed the Province’s involvement, framing the facilitator’s appointment as an opportunity for collaboration.
“I welcome the appointment and look forward to working with the provincial Facilitator in a constructive and meaningful way,” Davis said in a City of Brantford press release, adding that the move would help both municipalities “engage in productive dialogue and move toward a positive outcome for our region.”
Davis emphasized the airport’s importance to the region, noting it supports aviation services, emergency response, flight training and a growing base of aviation-related businesses that contribute to the local economy. He added that the City’s goal is to ensure the asset is “positioned for long-term success” with a governance framework that supports growth and infrastructure development.
While both municipalities have highlighted a shared history of collaboration, the County has signalled unease with the pace and structure of the provincially driven process.
In responses to questions posed from The Paris Independent, provided via email, County of Brant Mayor David Bailey reiterated that the initiative did not originate with the County.
“To reiterate the statement, this process was initiated by the City without input from the County. Given the direction which has come from the Province, we will engage in good faith, however we cannot comment at this time on what specific boundary lines may be drawn or how we may be able to engage with Ward 5 residents until we are made aware of the specific asks from the City,” Bailey said in response to The Paris Independent’s questions.
Questions have also been raised about how residents, particularly those in Ward 5, including Oakhill area, will be represented and serviced during the negotiation period, which coincides with a municipal election year.
Bailey was firm in his response that no decisions have been made to limit investment in Ward 5 during the 2026 budget discussions.
“To clarify, there were no decisions to limit or withdraw capital investment in Oakhill specifically. The budget process is continually dynamic in order to best allocate limited resources throughout the County,” he said.
On community engagement, Bailey said the County is committed to keeping residents informed but noted consultation efforts will require coordination with the City under the terms of the negotiation process.
“As a County, we remain committed to acting in the best interests of our residents and business owners. We recognize that there may be concerns within the community at this time, and we are committed to sharing information and updates as they become available,” he said.
The County is expected to meet with the provincially appointed facilitator in the coming days as discussions begin.