Homebuyers in limbo as Town of Midland disputes with developer

Homebuyers in a new development are living in limbo in Midland as the town and the builder dispute the project's conditions.

"Our lives are on hold. Our stuff is in storage," said Brenda Hicks.

Hicks purchased a home as part of Phase 2 of Midland's Bayport Village development.

The residential development has eight houses purchased, but only half are occupied in Block 27.

While Phase 1 of the development included the four occupied houses, the remaining are part of Phase2, which the town said has yet to check all the boxes for an occupancy permit.

But the builder disagrees.

"We brought two outside planning firms to come review all the submission materials related to getting this block advanced, and they also concluded that they have everything that they need for these folks to move in," said Devon Daniell, Kaitlin Corporation director of business development.

"They've satisfied three of the 43 conditions. Our role as regulator is to ensure that those conditions are met before we sign off for the protection of the residents moving in," Midland Mayor Stewart Strathearn said.

For the Hicks, who sold their house a year and a half ago expecting to move into their new residence last fall, the situation is frustrating. The couple has been bouncing from rental property to rental property waiting.

"The hardest thing is we've had no idea," said Hicks. "It wasn't like, 'oh, you guys will get a house in six months.' We can't plan."

Meanwhile, Kaitlin Corporation said the ball is in the town's court for a site agreement.

"They have to draft it. They have to bring it to us, and they have to bring it forward to council. There's a bylaw to remove the hold symbol," Daniell stated.

The mayor said the town wants to see the development completed. "We've bent over backwards to support this development. We'd love to see people into their homes."

The town concluded that it expects the developer to meet its conditions before anyone can settle into their new homes.