The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador has pledged to make policy adjustments following a public outcry from a family in Conception Bay South over the expropriation and subsequent sale of their former property.
Hannah Stapleton recounted the shock she experienced when her mother, Cyndie, showed her a video call displaying a new house being built on the land where their family home once stood on Scotts Road South. The Stapletons had purchased the property in 2004, despite ongoing construction of Peacekeepers Way, a highway project.
The family received a notice in 2012 stating that their home would be acquired under the Family Homes Expropriation Act for the highway construction. They were given 60 days to vacate the premises and were compensated for their new home and relocation expenses. The original house was subsequently demolished.
After discovering that the land had been resold with a new house under construction, the Stapletons decided to speak out. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure initially claimed the land was acquired through negotiation, not expropriation, but the Stapletons contested this based on the original government letter.
In response to the situation, Minister Barry Petten announced plans to develop a new land disposition policy that includes notification of the original owners. He acknowledged the need for a fair and respectful process and expressed his intention to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The timeframe for implementing the new policy was not specified, but Petten assured that it would be finalized soon.