Update Announcement
Update March 28, 2024: The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is planning to update the draft Agricultural Impact Assessment Guidance Document to align with provincial land use policies, after policies currently under development (for example, Provincial Planning Statement) have been released. Update April 3, 2020: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is currently updating the draft document to reflect comments received through consultation and to align with provincial directions. A decision notice will be posted once the document is finalized.
This consultation was open from:
March 15, 2018
to July 13, 2018
Decision summary
The province has finalized the Agricultural Impact Assessment Guidance Document. This document supports implementation of the Provincial Planning Statement (2024), which requires the completion of Agricultural Impact Assessments for certain non-agricultural uses in prime agricultural areas.
Decision details
Agricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) are a tool to identify and find ways to avoid where possible, minimize and mitigate adverse impacts from development on the agricultural system.
The guidance supports municipalities, qualified assessment professionals, development proponents, landowners and other stakeholders in how to complete AIAs. It will help standardize and support best practices to improve the compatibility of agricultural and non-agricultural uses.
AIAs are required by the Provincial Planning Statement (2024) and Provincial Plans, including for settlement area boundary expansions and mineral aggregate operations.
Outside of land use planning requirements, the guidance will be a resource to explain how to satisfy requirements related to minimizing the impact of development on agricultural operations.
Effects of consultation
The draft Agricultural Impact Assessment guidance document was posted for comment on the Environmental Registry between March 15 and July 13, 2018. In addition to the 2018 Environmental Registry posting, three webinars and several meetings were held with key stakeholders.
Overall, there continues to be strong support for the document and recognition that it will be a helpful tool to satisfy provincial requirements. Commenters on the draft document suggested that more direction be provided on: qualified professionals to complete AIAs, how AIAs are approved, consultation expectations, study area definition, mitigation and monitoring. Commenters also advised on making the document more user-friendly by adding checklists, illustrations and practical examples. All comments received were considered and where in scope, addressed through edits and additions to the document.
The document has additionally been updated to align with recent provincial policy and regulatory changes.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
1 Stone Road West
Ontario Government Building, 2nd floor, Southwest
Guelph,
ON
N1G 4Y2
Canada
Connect with us
Contact
Lisa Grbinicek
1 Stone Road West
3rd Floor
Guelph,
ON
N1G 4Y2
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
Agriculture and food are central to Ontarians’ quality of life and economic prosperity. Feedback during reviews of provincial land use plans highlighted the need to support a vibrant agri-food sector and consistently protect agricultural land throughout Ontario. The Provincial Policy Statement, 2014 and updated land use plans provide policies that address these goals. The 2017 provincial plans (Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan) have policy requirements for agricultural impact assessments for some types of development including settlement area boundary expansions, infrastructure and mineral aggregate operations within prime agricultural areas.
Agricultural impact assessments are a tool to identify and evaluate the potential impacts of non-agricultural development on agriculture, to avoid where possible, minimize and mitigate impacts on agriculture (including agricultural lands and operations and the surrounding agri-food sector).
The purpose of this proposal is to solicit input on the draft Agricultural Impact Assessment Guidance Document. The Guidance, is a technical document intended to assist municipalities, qualified assessment professionals, aggregate producers, development proponents, landowners and other stakeholders in meeting provincial requirements for undertaking an agricultural impact assessment. The Guidance will help standardize agricultural impact assessment information and support best practices to mitigate impacts from development on agriculture.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
1 Stone Road West
Ontario Government Building, 2nd floor, Southwest
Guelph,
ON
N1G 4Y2
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from March 15, 2018
to July 13, 2018
Connect with us
Contact
Julie Welch
1 Stone Road West
3rd Floor
Guelph,
ON
N1G 4Y2
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
10By email
1By mail
0