Waterfront ownership agreement with Akwesasne passed

(Newswatch Group/File)

CORNWALL – City council passed an ownership agreement with Akwesasne tonight, bringing months of negotiations on the harbour area lands to a head.

The co-owners agreement will see Transport Canada turn over the land to Cornwall and Akwesasne as tenants-in-common in a 50-50 partnership.

Under the agreement, both Cornwall and Akwesasne have agreed to set out rights and obligations in use, operation, management and development of the land.

The harbour land is a 16 acre parcel, which includes the controversial chemical storage tanks.

The city had earlier created a municipal service corporation to handle management of the land and MCA intends to create a similar corporation.

Tonight’s bylaw authorizes Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy and Clerk Helen Finn to sign the documents to form the partnership.

The bylaw to proceed passed with no discussion.