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Michael’s Bay property still in play with local interests

GATINEAU—The fate of the Michael’s Bay townsite property is still up in the air according to the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Seized Property Management office.

Asked what the current disposition of the property was, PSPC media contact Nicolas Boucher replied that “Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) Seized Property Management Directorate is committed to open, fair and transparent processes that are consistent with their mandate to obtain good value for Canadians. Public Services and Procurement Canada is continuing to work on the disposal process of Michael Bay‘s properties and consultations are ongoing.”

Mr. Boucher noted that PSPC is currently “consulting with the indigenous community and the Wikwemikong Band is the only indigenous community that is expressing an interest in acquiring the properties. These consultations are in the early stages, and it is difficult to predict when they may be complete.”

He went on to note that “PSPC has also consulted local municipal officials regarding their views about the properties and has agreed to keep them informed as milestones in the disposal process are reached. The disposition plan will be developed when these consultations are over.”

It is still too early to say what the disposition will be, or when the property will be listed, but Mr. Boucher responded that “the disposition plan will be developed once consultations are over. Should the properties ultimately be made available for sale to the public, PSPC will proceed through an open process by which properties are listed publicly on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) through a realtor.”

“If the indigenous community decides not to acquire the property, PSPC anticipates selling the property on the open market,” concluded Mr. Boucher. “We generally use a local realtor and broker.”

Article written by

Michael Erskine
Michael Erskine
Michael Erskine BA (Hons) is a staff writer at The Manitoulin Expositor. He received his honours BA from Laurentian University in 1987. His former lives include underground miner, oil rig roughneck, early childhood educator, elementary school teacher, college professor and community legal worker. Michael has written several college course manuals and has won numerous Ontario Community Newspaper Awards in the rural, business and finance and editorial categories.