More land expropriated to make way for Cornwall bypass

For the second time this year, the P.E.I. government has forced property owners in Cornwall to give up their land to make way forthearea's new bypass highway.

The transportation department has issued a formal notice of expropriation to Brian and DoraMacKinley for 21acres of their farmland, just east of the the Cornwall Road.

"Expropriation is not something government undertakes lightly and is only done as a last resort when we cannot come to an agreement with landowners on a price," a department spokesperson wrotein an e-mailed statement to CBC.

'Fair market value' offered, says province

The department wouldn't provide specific figures, but says it made two offers to the MacKinleys: one for their total property and one for the 21-acre parcel of land required for the highway.

It says those offers and the amount paid to the MacKinleyslast week for their land werebased on a "fair market value" as determined by an independent third party hired to do an appraisal.

Expropriation is not something government undertakes lightly- P.E.I. transportation department spokesperson

"The department makes every effort to provide fair and equitable compensation to all landowners keeping in mind our responsibility to the taxpayers of Prince Edward Island," the statement said.

The MacKinleysnow have six months to make a claim for additional compensation.

When contacted by CBC News, the couple would only saytheyare "working on a resolution."

Second compensation battle

This is the second time this year the province has found itself in a disagreementover compensation for expropriated land.

In March, Ellen Jones and her family were paid $536,800 for their 79-acre property across the road from the MacKinley's farmland.

A disputeover that amount led to an arbitration hearing this summer, wherea judge ordered governmentto pay Jones an additional $295,389.

The province is not saying whetherthat ruling is having anybearing on how it values and buys land.

"The department has a process in place that it continues to follow," the statementadded.

More land deals to come

The province says seven other propertyowners along the bypass have reached deals with the province, ahead of expropriation.

There are still 15 more private parcels of land the province will need to take over to make way for the new highway.