COMMENTARY: Must protect farmland for future generations

The following guest commentary is by Drew Spoelstra, president, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Ontario farmers know better than most that this province is home to some of Canada’s richest and most fertile farmland.

It’s where we grow food and feed for people and animals alike, but in addition to sustaining us, it also helps support climate change mitigation, benefits water and air quality and supports our environmental biodiversity.

At the same time, we know that Ontario needs growth to keep its economic engine going, expanded transportation networks to support the flow of people and goods, and housing for an increasing population.

Farmland is a finite but diminishing resource, and the availability of prime agricultural land is fundamental to Ontario’s future. It’s been a long time since our grocery store shelves were empty, but we only have to look to other regions of the world to understand that a country’s ability to feed its own population is an important pillar of a well-functioning and sustainable society.

That’s why we have long been strong advocates for farmland preservation and keeping this fertile soil in agricultural production – it’s the fundamental building block of our food and farming systems.

Unfortunately, the analysis of the latest Census of Agriculture statistics paints a bleak picture of what is happening in Ontario – the province is permanently losing an average of 319 acres of farmland a day or the equivalent of nine family farms from agricultural production every single week.

Although urban expansion isn’t the only cause of this loss, it’s undeniable that development is putting intense pressure on Ontario farmland and pushing up against urban-rural boundaries. The most current example is the ongoing farmland situation in the Waterloo Region municipality of Wilmot Township, where landowners are being threatened with expropriation for an as-of-yet undisclosed industrial development.

Although Ontario is a large province, only about five percent of our land is suitable for growing crops or raising livestock. Much of northern Ontario can’t be farmed because of the cool climate and the rocky Canadian Shield, and towns and cities dot much of the southern Ontario landscape.

Ontario farmers understand that our province needs to be able to attract and accommodate growth, and that we need solutions to the housing shortage. We aren’t opposed to urban growth and development – after all, we also want housing options to support youth, seniors, fam­ilies, workers, and newcomers in our communities.

But we believe the answer lies with responsible land-use planning that prevents further farmland loss, encourages ongoing investment in farms and farm-related businesses, helps communities intensify their built-up areas and supports greater density in new development.

This includes directing growth to urban and rural settlement areas where residential and commercial needs can be met in serviced areas using much less land. It also ensures efficient use of municipal infrastructure investments and reduces costs to provide services.

We’re urging all levels of government to use a long-term, strategic approach to land-use planning and a commitment to meaningful increased density of population within urban boundaries and around public transportation hubs so that we’re building in the right places.

We’re encouraging transparency, dialogue and collaboration so we can collectively find solutions where farmers are part of the process and can make meaningful contributions.

Let’s not forget that agri-food is also a cornerstone of Ontario’s economic prosperity. This sector, which is built around productive agricultural land, contributes $47 billion to the provincial economy and $20 billion in agri-food exports annually, and employs about 10 per cent of Ontario’s work force, supporting more than 750,000 jobs.

Without a thoughtful and strategic approach to farmland preservation, land-use planning and economic development, we are putting Ontario’s future at risk. For Ontario farmers, the goal is to ensure a future for our province, our communities and our families that includes food and farmland as well as jobs and growth.