Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation
The current legislative framework has left Norfolk in an unresolved and unsustainable position. Norfolk followed Ontario's prescribed tax sale process for a 39-acre property with approximately $75,000 in outstanding tax arrears, yet remains unable to transfer ownership, recover the outstanding taxes, or provide certainty to the successful purchaser.
Where we're at
The issue has created significant risk for residents, the municipality, and the broader community. A private purchaser invested $410,800 through the tax sale process and is now unable to complete the transaction. Any future enforcement action could create safety and reputational concerns, particularly given past land disputes referenced by the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI).
Following some findings in a cemetery, every expansion, new burial section, or ground disturbance triggers archaeological assessments and consultation requirements, resulting in lengthy timelines and increasing financial pressures for municipalities.
Norfolk asks the Province
- Provide provincial guidance, legislative support, and a coordinated resolution process for complex tax sale situations involving indigenous land rights, where municipalities have followed the requirements of the Municipal Act but are unable to achieve a final resolution
- Create a more efficient framework for municipal duty-to-consult requirements related to cemeteries through provincial cost-sharing and a single point of contact for planning applications
Norfolk is ready.
We can grow Ontario, together.