Re: Schedule 10 of Bill 66:…

Re: Schedule 10 of Bill 66: Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act

The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) is deeply concerned about Article 10 of Bill 66 because it has the potential to convert prime agricultural land to other uses and accelerate the loss of productive farmland in Ontario. 

The EFAO is an educational non-profit organization with over 500 farmer members across Ontario. For 40 years, EFAO has been providing opportunities for farmer-to-farmer training and mentorship. Our members are passionate about producing healthy food and protecting the environment through the use of farming practices that regenerate the soil, water and biodiversity, eliminate waste and pollution, and reduce energy consumption. 

Our members run prosperous farm businesses that focus almost exclusively on the local market, creating jobs, providing high-quality food to Ontarians and building sustainable rural economies. We believe that the best way to create jobs on prime farmland is to promote profitable and productive farms, not to subvert the policies and regulations put in place to protect farmland. The fact that Schedule 10 of Bill 66 would allow municipalities to pass "open for business” bylaws without any public consultation, without regard to any planning laws or water protection and with no right of appeal, is particularly worrying for our members. 

Agricultural lands in Ontario are a precious resource that is already under threat from development. Our member-farmers across the province want to see their lands protected for future generations of farmers, and for all Ontarians.