RE: Provincial Agricultural…

RE: Provincial Agricultural System, ERO #019-6813 for review of proposed policies adapted from A Place to Grow and Provincial Policy Statement to form a new provincial planning policy instrument

Dear Minister Clark,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed changes found in the proposed Provincial Policy Statement, 2023 (PPS 2023). Specifically, I am concerned about the impact the proposed policies will have on agricultural lands in the province.

Ontario’s prime agricultural land is a finite, non-renewable resource that comprises less than 5% of Ontario’s land base1. With the growing rate of farmland loss in the province, currently at a rate of 319 acres per day2, it is more important than ever before that the province protects our prime areas. Ontario’s farmland directly supports the agri-food sector, which is the largest economic sector in the province, employing more than 750,000 Ontarians along the supply chain and annually contributing over $47 billion to the province’s GDP3.

While I recognize the need to address issues of housing availability and affordability, I am concerned that several of the policies in the proposed PPS 2023 will not adequately contribute to the housing issues and instead will create significant issues for the long-term viability of Ontario’s agri-food sector. This submission will focus primarily on the proposed PPS 2023 impacts on the agricultural system.