NFU demands Greenbelt restoration

The Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union is demanding that Ontario Premier Doug Ford return 15 parcels of land to the Greenbelt.

Ford, however, has said it will remain out of the Greenbelt and available for housing development.

The NFU is also demanding that the government restore ”proper public consultations and planning processes.”

It notes that provincial Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk declared the government’s removal of the land from the Greenbelt unnecessary, biased, subjective, and ill-informed.“

According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) more than 83 per cent  of this land is Class 1-3 prime agricultural land, 11 of the 15 land sites are within sensitive natural heritage systems, and three sites are within specialty crop areas which rely on unique and scarce soil and climate conditions.

The removal of just three sites, making up 91 per cent of the Greenbelt land lost, “will lead to significant adverse impacts on agriculture given their large size, existing agricultural uses and connectedness to the surrounding agriculture,” OMAFRA told the Auditor General.

“Reversing the decision to open up the Greenbelt to development is the only way the Government can regain the trust of farmers and all Ontarians,” said NFU-O president Max Hansgen.

Meanwhile the Ford government has not yet responded to lobbying from all of Ontario’s general farm organizations to reverse its policy change to allow up to three lot severances per rural property for housing.