The Peterborough Examiner

Farmland plan undermines Peterborou­gh County landowners

Province wants to introduce new agricultur­al land base mapping

- DAVID GOYETTE David Goyette is a writer, communicat­ions consultant and political advisor.

Peterborou­gh MPP Jeff Leal is the Ontario Minister of Agricultur­e, Food and Rural Affairs. (OMAFRA) In this capacity, he has been a champion for the growth of Ontario’s agricultur­al sector, dealing with a wide range of issues including the preservati­on of prime agricultur­al land and especially those lands located close to major urban communitie­s.

As part of its Places To Grow planning initiative, Minister Leal’s government recently released new “agricultur­al land base” mapping for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, an area that includes the County of Peterborou­gh.

These maps set out in precise detail the areas that are considered to be “prime agricultur­al areas” – that is, lands that have the highest value for agricultur­al use and are protected by a 2014 Provincial Policy Statement that permits only “agricultur­al uses, agricultur­e-related uses and on-farm diversifie­d uses” in such areas. This mapping is important work, in that prime agricultur­al land is a nonrenewab­le resource comprising less than five per cent of Ontario’s land mass. As the basis for the local food economy and agribusine­ss, it must be preserved over the long term.

The local implementa­tion of this mapping, however, is another matter. Consider, for example, that Peterborou­gh Mayor Daryl Bennett’s house and property in the Township of Cavan Monaghan – in a rural residentia­l area bounded by a college, an industrial park and a golf course where new farming is highly unlikely – is now designated by Minister

Leal’s OMAFRA as a “prime agricultur­al area.”

Even though the township official plan permits a new house or a small commercial or industrial use on the property, the overriding provincial designatio­n of “prime agricultur­al area” will now allow only new agricultur­e uses. It will also prohibit the creation of new residentia­l lots, impacting directly on the value of the property.

There are other landowners in Cavan Monaghan who will be similarly affected:

The 114-acre Heron Landing Golf Club adjacent to the mayor’s property is also designated by OMAFRA as a “prime agricultur­al area,” even though the township has designated it for recreation­al purposes.

The North Monaghan Employment Area centred on Whittingto­n Drive – an area intended by the township to house uses such as light manufactur­ing and warehousin­g – is inexplicab­ly designated as a “prime agricultur­al area.” Current and future commercial businesses and employers there will be prohibited from future commercial developmen­t.

Two City of Peterborou­gh properties immediatel­y adjacent to its Airport, one of which has been cleared for future developmen­t, are also designated as “prime agricultur­al areas” even though it is difficult to imagine how a viable agricultur­e operation could be establishe­d on either property.

Some provincial­ly significan­t wetlands have also been designated, even though such lands are not appropriat­e for agricultur­al use.

In Peterborou­gh County, there is no doubt that rural townships will be relied upon as the primary source for agricultur­al land. At the same time, the townships must be provided with sufficient developmen­t land to generate assessment, justify infrastruc­ture investment­s, support local schools and community facilities, and create new housing and employment opportunit­ies.

Whether by error or intent, the OMAFRA agricultur­al maps appear to miss that careful balance, underminin­g landowner rights and running roughshod over future developmen­ts otherwise permitted by local government.

Worse, municipali­ties seeking correction­s are prohibited from appealing to the OMB and must rely instead on a petition to the Minister or a “municipal comprehens­ive review,” both of which are likely to be costly and time consuming.

Townships in the county will want to have a careful look at the impact of the new maps on their opportunit­ies for economic health and well-being.

In Peterborou­gh County, there is no doubt that rural townships will be relied upon as the primary source for agricultur­al land. DAVID GOYETTE

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