Why your support matters
Help Protect Puslinch: Stop the Estill Development is a community-led project opposing a proposed 1,000,000 sq. ft. warehouse on approximately 60 acres of farmland not designated for industrial use. The site was not identified in the Township or County’s most recent (2025) rural economic development area expansion, raising serious concerns about precedent and long-term land use.
New development: Stop the MZO
A Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) is now being pursued by the Estill team. An MZO would bypass Township and County review, limit public input, and override the normal planning process. Fast-tracking this development in this way undermines public trust, local decision-making, and the transparency typically required for projects of this scale.
If approved, through an MZO or otherwise, this development would represent a significant departure from established planning policy and could set a precedent for industrial expansion outside designated employment areas.
The potential impacts are substantial:
- Increased traffic, including approximately 1,000 daily vehicle trips on rural sideroads and concessions not designed for heavy industrial use
- High water demand and large-scale septic servicing in a rural setting
- Noise, light, and visual impacts on nearby residents and the surrounding countryside
- Loss of agricultural land
- Impacts to a provincially significant wetland, and to identified Species at Risk and their habitat
Beyond these direct impacts, the broader concern is setting a precedent. Approving this development outside of designated industrial lands could open the door for similar proposals across rural Puslinch and beyond, undermining official planning frameworks and accelerating the loss of farmland and rural landscapes.
Why we need your support
We are relying on community donations to ensure that residents have a strong, informed voice in this process. Contributions will directly support:
- Legal and planning analysis by environmental counsel
- Expert review of policy and development impacts
- Preparation for potential Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) proceedings; and
- Representation at hearings, if required.
This project is community-driven and funded, with all contributions supporting evidence-based review, transparency and in line with the public interest.
Your support helps ensure that rural communities are not reshaped without full understanding of the long-term consequences. It helps protect farmland, water resources, and the rural identity that makes Puslinch unique.
With your help, we can stand up for responsible planning and protect what matters most—before it is lost.
Small Change Fund will issue a charitable tax receipt for eligible donations.
