There are reports that the Tories are reconsidering their proposal to allow lot severances from rural properties after farmers registered objections.
Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark said he is still pondering the proposal he set out.
But Premier Doug Ford is also quoted recently saying that farmers ought to be able to build a retirement home on their property.
That’s opposed by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, National Farmers Union and Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario who had a meeting recently with senior officials in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Other farm organizations, including Egg Farmers of Ontario and Beef Farmers of Ontario, have registered their opposition to the proposal.
Their main concern is that homes built in the rural area will give rise to complaints about manure odours, dust, spraying of fertilizer and farm equipment on rural roads.
The province has an avenue for those objections to be raised before the Normal Farm Practices Review Board.
In recent times, almost all of those appeals have come from semi-urban communities such as Caledon Hills.
Few rural municipalities allow lot severances.
The Tories hold majority power because of their strong support from rural ridings. One wonders whether that can hold in the face of closures of emergency services at rural hospitals and this proposal to allow lot severances.
