We are farmers... Rural…

We are farmers... Rural-Residential zoning in North York and fully support your Bill 97 and in particular the proposed change to build housing for Farm Help and - as would be our case - housing for our retirement.
Overall, the proposed Bill 97 may suggest to reduce available farm land. However, this is truly a hoax. What farmland in and around Greater Toronto can be operated economically. Cost of modern equipment demands substantial land sizes to be operated economically. Isn't it already a fact that no farmer in Greater Toronto is making money on operating his farm, including leased neightboring lands, untill the day he dies and his heirs sells the land to a hobby farmer with intent of tearing down the old farmhouse, build a mansion and quit farming...
Bill 97 gives the family an opportunity to continue to remain on the lands while the next generation can build a house for their use and/or add a farm help house for a much needed farm hand. The relative small Greater Toronto un-economical farms (100-200 acres) may be reduced to 25-40 acre lots - still leaving lots of green space and encouraging continued development - and adequate size for a small hobby farm for families enjoying the lands.
We maintain, for a farm to be economical, the cultivated land must comprise at least 500 acres, preferably 1-2,000 acres. You can NOT run a farm in Greater Toronto - regardless of size - as help is simply not available. Rural Residential is that and that exactly. Rural Ontario may need help, but that is a different subject.
We support the Ford initiative and we support Bill 97.