Thank You Doug Ford for…

Thank You Doug Ford for realizing that there is a serious housing problem with both supply and affordability, Supply is only one of the reasons that housing has become un-affordable for our next generation, but it is something that can be addressed and is being addressed with this Bill.

With respect to BILL 97 (Specifically speaking to: Rural land severance’s)
It is time that the Ontario government stepped in to make many of our rural townships and municipalities allow in limited numbers, rural land severance’s.

We have a small farm in rural Oro-Medonte (100+ Acres) and would very much like to sever off 4 small lots for our 4 children and eventually their families but currently there is no way for this to be done. Many who are opposed to this bill speak of Urban sprawl and breaking farms up into small building lots and destroying our farmland which is ridiculous since they are proposing only 3 building lots. By passing this bill it will allow our next generation to continue to live in the community and on this farm; our farm and even make it possible to hang onto the farm for their children.
To say this will threaten farmland and therefore future food production is ridiculous. (3 Building Lots..) ?? When the OFA spoke for its 38,000 rural Farm Families, this was not the voice of my farming family.

It is very Naïve to think that the severing of 3 building lots is destroying farmland and food production. What is very clear is that it will give small to medium sized farmers like myself options to preserve what little farmland we have and make it more affordable for the next generation of Farmers. Yes, some farmers will sell a lot or 2 which will also allow them to perhaps hang onto their farm while providing a building lot to welcome another young family to a rural farming community although sometimes I feel like this is not what the rural municipalities want.

Please listen to voices of the small and medium sized farmers as well for whom this Bill could have a profound impact on their families, future and livelihood because it is hard to believe that with a 100 acres of farm land that I am still unable to provide my children with even a small building lot.

Please make this work for the middle class rural farming families and open up land severances.

Thank you.