Ontario’s productive…

Ontario’s productive farmland is a scarce resource, making up less than five per cent of all the land in the province. It is our unwavering position that agricultural production is the most valued and best use of this land. Ontario boasts some of Canada’s richest and most fertile farmland and these policy changes put the sustainability of that land and the food system it provides at great risk. Officials warn not only will the plan allow more farmland to be gobbled up for development it could also “exacerbate conflict between farming and non-farming neighbours for all aspects of farming including application of crop nutrition and crop protection products, wildlife control and more. Responsible land-use planning is critical to balancing the needs of our growing communities and to ensure that our agriculture and agri-food sector survives and thrives. Among the proposed changes is an overhaul to residential development in rural areas, which would give municipalities the ability to split large farms into smaller lots to make it easier to build homes.