To the Editor,
Brantford has always held the keys to unlock its own success, to reignite, and reimagine its local economy. Additionally, it has a responsibility to the community to ensure the value being returned on public assets is maximized. What has held the city back? Perhaps it’s the so called tax vigilantes who, in 20+ years on council, had plenty of time to come up with a “BIG” idea but could only deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in a debt project, or those with personal interests in city assets who lack objectivity. Who can really explain why the city has been stuck on “go” since Massey left 40 years ago? It’s not what you say; it’s what you do.
On the heels of the massive debt project in the SEC that is already north of $252 million, funded by a 30 year debenture, the City must now fund its portion of the new and much needed regional hospital. That bill to the City will be in the neighbourhood of $250 million.
Here’s an example of taking control of your own destiny by using what you have to fund what you need while taking advantage of all the benefits along the way.
As of December 2025, the hospital has officially issued a “Call for Land” (deadline February 10, 2026) to find a greenfield site for a new regional facility. The airport should be a prime candidate due to its size and City ownership. Here’s why:
1. The “Municipal Transfer” Valuation (Low Cash, High Credit)
If the City of Brantford chooses to provide its own land for the hospital, the “valuation” is rarely a standard market rate cash sale. Instead, it becomes a Municipal Contribution.
The “Local Share” Requirement: Under Ontario’s hospital funding model, the local community must cover roughly 15% to 25% of the total project cost. For a hospital estimated at over $1 billion, the local share is roughly $250 million.
Land as Credit: By “donating” 50–60 acres of airport land, the City would receive a massive credit against that $250 million local share.
Valuation Impact: The City would essentially be “spending” land worth $30M–$40M (at current industrial prices) to offset its future cash obligations.
2. The “Synergy” Valuation (Boosting the Remaining Land)
Building a hospital on a portion of the airport doesn’t just use up space; it drastically changes the value of the remaining land.
Zoning Shift: Hospitals attract medical offices, pharmacies, clinics, and specialized labs. This “Institutional” land often carries higher density and value than traditional “Industrial” land.
Infrastructure Acceleration: A hospital requires massive water, power, and road upgrades. If the Province funds these upgrades for the hospital, the remaining airport land suddenly becomes “shovel‑ready,” increasing its value from roughly $540,000/acre to potentially $700,000+/acre because the servicing costs are already paid for.
3. Estimated Land Requirement & Value Shift
A modern regional hospital typically requires 50 to 80 acres for the facility, parking, and future expansion.
Scenario — Estimated Value (Airport Lands):
– Current (Raw Airport Land): $235 million (total)
– With Hospital (60 acres): $32.4 million (land “lost” to hospital)
– Remaining Land Appreciation: +$40 million to +$60 million (due to improved servicing/zoning)
– Estimated Net Portfolio Value: $240 million to $265 million
Strategy First. Tactics Second.
The “Servicing” Problem Solved: The biggest barrier to monetizing the airport land for top dollar today is the lack of sewers and high-capacity power. A hospital project acts as a “Trojan Horse” that brings those services to the site using provincial health dollars, effectively subsidizing the development of the rest of the airport and future development.
The Med-Tech Hub: Instead of a simple warehouse district, the airport could become a “Life Sciences and Aerospace” park. This increases the long term tax assessment value far beyond what a simple cash sale would provides, including high paying jobs for the community.
The Boundary Negotiation: Since the land is currently in the County, a hospital project would likely force the resolution of the “Boundary Adjustment” talks. The province is much more likely to intervene and move the land into the City’s borders if a billion dollar hospital is at stake.
Why This Wins
This is the only scenario where the City doesn’t have to choose between a new hospital and a $200 million land windfall; it can have both. By using the hospital as the anchor tenant, the City solves its healthcare crisis, creates high paying jobs on a City asset, pays its “Local Share” in land value credits, and creates the infrastructure necessary to sell the rest of the land at peak market rates if it chooses.
This isn’t emotional. It’s a reasonable, rational strategy to maximize value for you, the taxpayer and resident, and to move the City in a productive direction without taking on hundreds of millions in additional debt or tax increases.
Sincerely,
Mark St. Angelo
