Greens standing up to protect Ontario’s farmland

May 19, 2023

QUEEN'S PARK — Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to calls from agricultural leaders and organizations across Ontario for the Ford government to abandon Bill 97 and the Proposed Provincial Planning Statement.

“Ontario’s farmers have a clear message for the Ford government: to farm, we need farmland.

Our province’s food and farming sector is a $50-billion economic powerhouse. It fuels our economy, supports rural communities, and strengthens our food security.

Ontario has some of the best farmland in North America – but it’s already in short supply.

Just five percent of our province is farmland, and under this government we’re losing 319 acres every single day.

Now, the Ford government is planning to further weaken protections by allowing up to three lot severances per farm parcel in prime agricultural areas for residential, non-farm uses.

Ontario Greens know there’s clear value in our food and farming sector. We stand with the agricultural leaders across the province fighting to protect it.

I call on the Ford government to walk back on Bill 97 and the proposed provincial planning statement, to permanently protect Ontario’s prime farmland, and to step up and solve the housing crisis by building affordable homes in caring, connected communities where people actually want to live.”

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