Bill 21, a Private Members Bill proposed by Green Party leader Mike Schreiner, proposes a Foodbelt Protection Plan for Ontario farm land. 

The County’s Environmental Advisory Committee is looking for ways to support it in the PC-dominated Ontario Legislature.

The bill proposes an advisory committee to protect a “geographically continuous agricultural land base,” stocked with farmers, agriculturalists, soil scientists, planners, and other interested parties.

It would identify the lands to be included in the Foodbelt, and have the power to preserve it. The Planning Act would be amended to restrict development on land zoned agricultural by requiring an Agricultural Impact Assessment.

These restrictions could not be overridden by a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) or municipal zoning by-laws. Likewise, aggregate extraction would be restricted.

The bill would not just protect but enhance agricultural land in Ontario, monitoring such things as soil health. It aims to reduce land speculation and explore succession planning through land trust models. 

The bill received a first reading on May 13. MPP Schreiner noted, “Ontario loses 319 acres of farmland each and every day to low density urban sprawl, aggregate mining, and highways like 413.”

“Tariff-proofing our economy starts with protecting the farmland that feeds us and the farmers who grow that food.” 

Private Members Bills can be introduced in the legislature by anyone other than a cabinet minister. With a Progressive Conservative majority government in power, though, the chances for another party’s Private Members Bill proceeding are slim.

“I recognize this is a long shot,” said Councillor Kate MacNaughton at an EAC meeting last week.

She proposed the EAC could support the bill by uniting with the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Advisory Committee. 

“If the pressure is coming from the right areas, which could be federations and the agricultural community, maybe this is something they will take seriously,” she said.

“Right now, protection of farmland is built into every municipality’s Official Plan, and different municipalities do more or less. Ours are pretty good, others are very weak,” said Councillor John Hirsch.

“This would butt right up against some MZOs,” he added.

“I know that the County Foundation has been expressing deep concern in the Vital Signs report going back years, multiple reports now, about the rapid loss of farmland,” said EAC public member Jane Leslie.

With the legislature breaking for summer, the committee decided to wait and see what action local agricultural groups plan to take, and follow their lead in the fall.