Agricultural land is such a…

Agricultural land is such a valuable asset to the Province and should be encouraged to grow, not be whittled away for urban development. As the Province tells us weekly, we are expected to support millions more people in the near future, so we must see the prime agricultural land in Ontario as our greatest asset to feed and support this increase in population. We have learned during COVID-19 that we need to have sustainable practices to act locally rather than rely on global supplies that have shown to have supply problems. Agricultural land should be increasing as our population increases so that less food will need to be imported. The Greater Golden Shoe contains 42% of the best farmland in the Province. Any great farmland needs support to continue growing our food rather than being paved over to help supply housing and public parks, golf courses, zoos, warehousing and industry, etc. We have a very valuable asset that needs to be used as farmland.

Regional municipalities should be allowed and encouraged to allocate density and intensification quotas in their built boundary and not allowed exemptions for achieving targets, especially unachievable ones, adding to their industrial inventory (Stratford's MZO for Xinyi), but left for agriculture. Exemptions in the form of strong arming the Strong Mayor or MZO's, etc. should not be a loophole for the Province to Build More Homes Faster. Most red tape is there are good reasons and to stop unilateral decisions, especially without public consultation and consideration. Revising development charges and tax policies to discourage sprawl and encourage farm investment.

Official Plans of municipalities should use the built boundaries and leave the agricultural land in place and not just give temporary protection of these lands and continue the expansion of the urban footprint. This increases land speculation and the loss of agricultural land that is truly not necessary according to the professional municipal planners. We pay them and should listen to them and their planning, not what the government wishes. Restricting uses to agricultural uses related to farming and the associated buildings for agricultural and farming operations and a dwelling for the farmers.

In Environmental Assessments, agriculture deserves to be a separate heading rather than being included under other issues.

No loopholes for taking land away. The ten year review should only allow additional lands to be added and no land to be removed. The wetlands, woodlands and wildlife corridors need to be maintained and not interrupted.