Citing the pressure that large-scale greenhouse developments place on water, wastewater and other services, Chatham-Kent and the Municipality of Lakeshore in Essex County want greenhouse operators to pay more for new builds. In Chatham-Kent, a March municipal council decision increased water and wastewater development charges for new greenhouses, a move the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers […] Read more
Greenhouse expansion a costly prospect for local government
Southwest municipalities frustrated at lack of provincial support, seek alternative infrastructure funding
Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary gets creative with income streams
Finding new ways to support conservation and education
Limited resources are a perennial problem for conservation organizations. At the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary, a non-profit conservation park in Essex County, staff and volunteers are trying to diversify income streams in an effort to improve the area’s ecology, and help people better connect with the natural landscape. Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary was […] Read more
How Canada can support Indigenous farm entrepreneurs
Tatum Claypool, Nuffield scholar and FCC relationship manager, discusses historical barriers and current opportunities
For Claypool, Canada’s Indigenous communities are a relatively untapped resource when it comes to agricultural economic development. With favourable age demographics and a strong cultural connection with the land and agricultural production, developing farm and food enterprises would be a boon for communities where economic opportunities are few, as well as for Canadian agriculture as a whole
How land expropriation happens
What constitutes ‘public good’ is not always clear
The land expropriation case in Wilmot township, Waterloo Region, continues to develop. While the exact purpose of the expropriation remains murky, the question for many is whether the Region of Waterloo’s actions are in fact, legal. Jonathan Minnes, an expropriation, planning and municipal lawyer and partner with Kitchener-based firm Gowling WLG, says there have been […] Read more
Wilmot land expropriation questioned
Some wonder whether Waterloo Region’s actions are in public or private interests
Expropriation of land in Wilmot Township in the Region of Waterloo is a window into Ontario’s challenges as industrial and population growth clash in areas with high quality farmland. Farmers, landowners and residents are loudly protesting the use of prime farmland for industrial purposes and say they are fed up with political support for agriculture […] Read more
Peer to peer support can help avoid mental health crises
Guardian Network comprised of farmers, community members trained to provide support
Suicide is not uncommon in farm country. Reducing the frequency of such tragedies is the goal of the Guardian Network, one of three farmer wellness programs offered by the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Why it matters: The farming community consistently shows higher than average rates of mental health issues such as […] Read more
Opinion: Time to be proactive with land-use restrictions
Can we diversify farm incomes by highlighting where we dropped the ball?
We cut down a lot of trees and drained a lot of wetlands to create Ontario’s agricultural landscape. With so few natural spaces left, and as economic pressures continue to push crop producers toward maximizing every available acre, I’m increasingly convinced legislation to protect nature from ourselves is a necessity. Aside from the environment, there […] Read more
How to sustainably farm on ancient monuments
Conservation scheme in Roscommon, Ireland, helps revitalize ancient Irish landscape and local farming community
The following is a narrative about an area in County Roscommon, Ireland, famed for its millennia-old farming traditions, archeological monuments, mythological inspirations – and an initiative that has been reconciles and supports the perpetuation of both. Rathcroghan, a small area of rural County Roscommon, Ireland, has been an agricultural landscape for thousands of years. Within […] Read more
What’s legal and what’s not for farm equipment on the road
MTO officers provide overview of regulations for farm operators
Farm equipment and farm operators are exempt from many of Ontario’s highway transportation regulations, but these exemptions are far from uniform. During an Ontario Agricultural Conference session, transportation ministry enforcement officers Yvette Campeau and Matthew Mitchell reminded attendees that such exemptions rely on a number of qualifiers. Why it matters: Safely moving farm implements and […] Read more
Growth in Southwestern Ontario farmland values slowed in 2023
Resiliency in Ontario’s farm sector keeps per-acre costs high
Growth in the value of farmland in Southwestern Ontario slowed in 2023, but per acre costs remain at record highs. Ryan Parker, partner with London-area real estate appraiser Valco, has been authoring an annual report on farmland values in Southwestern Ontario since 2010. In the latest analysis, he says it’s clear higher interest rates, lower […] Read more
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