Stefan Sinclair-Fortin
The Signal
February 7, 2020
Public will get a say but on the developer’s terms
The government defended its handling of Owls Head on Thursday, despite continuing calls for the sale of public land to be stopped.
Minister of Lands and Forestry Iain Rankin said he is aware of the public’s interest, but has no plans to protect the area. He said the sale to a private developer is still in progress.
He said he’s committed to protecting 13 per cent of the province’s land, and this falls outside of that.
“At this time, and that has not changed, it has not been put forward as a priority for protection to get us to our 13 per cent, which is in my mandate letter,” Rankin told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
