Regina city council remains tight-lipped on land sale despite rumours

Everyone has been talking about the secret land deal the City of Regina has signed off on — everyone, that is, except the buyer and city officials.

The buyer of the land officially remained a mystery Tuesday, but media reports suggested Viterra was the purchaser.

Council voted Monday in favour of selling the 633.6 acres of land, located just outside city limits, for $4 million — roughly $2.3 million below the value at which the land was appraised.

According to Coun. Bob Hawkins, the city purchased the land in the 1970s for around $470,000.

Hawkins wouldn’t confirm if the buyer was Viterra, citing a non-disclosure agreement, but he did reiterate Mayor Sandra Masters’ message that the project could be very beneficial for the city.

“In voting unanimously, council thought that this was a potential project that would benefit Regina in a meaningful way,” Hawkins said. “Ultimately, council will be held to account once the full details are able to be revealed.

“All 10 councillors thought this was an important development for the city.”

Hawkins added the anonymous nature of the sale is not suspicious.

“The various private parties involved have to protect themselves (and) protect the confidentiality of what they’re doing,” he said. “These kinds of deals can’t be negotiated in public. This is just part of normal commercial development dealing.

“There’s nothing surprising in this.”

980 CJME reached out to Viterra as well as the city for confirmation on the sale, but hadn’t heard back by the time of publication.