Time Line of Events
December, 2022
Letters were distributed to residents about The Estill Innovation Community. It involved the construction of a global headquarters for two firms - Danby Products Ltd. from Guelph and Upper Canada Forest Group from Mississauga.
The new headquarters would provide a location for manufacturing, marketing, sales, etc., with approximately 400 employees.
This would be located at 4631 Sideroad 20N in Puslinch; at the intersection of Concession 4 and Sideroad 20N.
The developer requested the use of a Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator (CIHA) Order through the Township to expedite the required zoning change from secondary agriculture to commercial/industrial land use.
We also learned at this point that Estill did not own the property.
February, 2023 - Council Meeting
Prior to the meeting, a unified letter to council was formed by area residents, west of the Hanlon Expressway and within 3 km of the proposed development.
After only six days of distributing the unified letter, we received 125 signatures from adults living in this very localized area, all who opposed the development.
We also received approximately 100 emails addresses from locals that we continue to keep informed and these are the people that our small committee represents
After the meeting, we felt confident that Estill would not want to purchase the land, after he stated that ‘he did not want to be somewhere where he was not welcome’.
A couple of months later, we heard that Estill purchased the property for nearly $19 Million for 63 acres and was moving through the normal planning process for a zoning and an official plan amendment.
September 2025
HPP became aware of a private application for an official plan amendment from Puslinch Developments GP Inc.
October 2025
HPP held an Open House at the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada to raise more awareness about our concerns with Estill's application and received over 300 signatures from the public that were opposed of the zoning/official plan amendment
November 2025
A Public open house was held in November 2025. The Development Committee detailed many concerns with the application and the public open house brought over 100 community members to the meeting, with nearly 20 people speaking out publicly of their disagreement with the project.
There were multiple comments that were sent back to the Estill Team from the public meeting and Township/County review to reassess their plan and we are unaware current status of application.
December 2025
Help Protect Puslinch retained a lawyer, David Donnelly from Donnelly Law, to support our disapproval with the project and the potential need to go to the Ontario Land Tribunal depending on the path that the application takes. We are also going to be a part of a January 2026 board meeting with the Small Change Fund to support funding lawyer and other costs.
April 2026
In April 2026 HPP finalized the Small Change Fund website so we could begin accepting donations from the community.
December, 2023
We were notified that the Township was looking for a minimum of 30 ha (75 acres) of additional rural employment lands and they were working with Wellington County, and following the Official Plan to create the Puslinch By Design Made-in-Puslinch approach. Estill's land was added as part of the study area (added by the Province).
We thought that this would be a great opportunity to ensure that we maintain the fabric of Puslinch and direct commercial development where it is compatible.
The study was very open and public and concluded in 2025. Our group advocated that these lands be located near other commercial lands, have suitable road infrastructure, not be next to rural residential homes, not impact provincially significant wetlands, and potentially be better serviced for wastewater and water, etc.
June 2025
At the conclusion of this study, an official plan amendment has been completed (waiting on review of public comments from the County and sign-off from the Province).
The Township and County is processing newly designated industrial lands (Sites D, G, H) into the Official Plan as recommended by the Puslinch By Design study (Site D) or added by Council (Site G & H) as these areas were deemed the most suitable after Site D.
Adding another large industrial site not identified as preferred will compound pressures on roads, services, and the environment. The study recommended a minimum 30 hectares to meet 2050 population growth requirements and beyond, and Council has earmarked roughly 140 hectares.
On April 30, 2026, Estill submitted a request for a Minister’s Zoning Order to the Province for consideration
On May 6, 2026 we had a delegation at the council meeting to agree with Township that this approach in not ideal.