The Greenbelt Foundation recently released a report delving into what it calls “the pressing issue of housing shortages for farm families, on-farm workers and agri-business employees in Ontario’s rural areas
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Tag Archives Greenbelt
Rural housing report sees complex problem, varied solutions for Ontario
Greenbelt Foundation study shows support for solutions dependent on level of pressure on farmland
GFO members bring land planning and protection concerns to annual meeting
Fertilizer and carbon tax relief remain ongoing issues
Grain farmer concerns on land use and planning gained traction against ongoing fertilizer pricing and carbon tax issues. Brendan Byrne, Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) chair, and CEO Crosby Devitt fielded questions on what measures the organization was taking toward agricultural land protection and intensification planning to address increasing housing pressure during the organization’s annual […] Read more
Ford backtracks on Greenbelt development
9,400 additional acres to remain in Greenbelt after public, agriculture backlash
“It was a mistake to open the Greenbelt.” With that, Premier Doug Ford pledged to reverse the changes to Greenbelt and promised no future changes. “I made a promise to you I would not touch the Greenbelt. I broke that promise,” he said during the Sept. 21 press conference in Niagara Falls. “And for that, […] Read more
How will municipalities handle housing?
Confusion reigns as province pushes flurry of development policy changes
The Ontario government has made a series of policies over the past year that will alter the trajectory of development. By opening the Greenbelt and other farmland, reclassifying wetlands, reducing density targets and allowing municipalities to expand beyond established urban limits, Doug Ford’s government says it aims to encourage speedy housing construction. Some say these […] Read more
Editorial: Smoke and mirrors
Do more with less” is without a doubt the overarching theme for Canadian agriculture in 2022. Although that exact phrase may not always be used, its sentiment has been consistent. Farmers and those working in the agriculture industry have been bombarded with information and commentary about how the climate is in crisis, and that they […] Read more
Ontario government’s Bill 23 accelerates concern about loss of farmland
More Homes Built Faster Act will allow new house builds on protected lands
After four years of rolling back protective Greenbelt legislation, the Ontario government’s More Homes Built Faster Act is opening acres for urban development. The Greenbelt was established in 2005 to protect environmentally sensitive lands and farmland from urban development but the recently announced act, known as Bill 23, will remove 7,400 acres from protection. Wayne […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
