This report, produced in partnership with Environmental Defence and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, calls for improved land-use planning that recognizes and protects farmland as essential to the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region. This is particularly true, given that GGH farmland provides the base for a robust agricultural and agri-food sector. The report highlights how agriculture should be regarded as a permanent feature of the regional landscape and how farming is an essential component of the regional and provincial economy. Protecting farmland aligns well with the Growth Plan that aims to contain and direct urban growth to settlement areas already or easily served by the necessary infrastructure. It is also consistent with principles of ecological planning that are increasingly coming to the forefront as we realize that we need to see ecological (including agricultural) systems holistically, and protect and conserve them accordingly.
Farmland makes up about half of the land area of the Greater Golden Horseshoe and represents one of the most important economic sectors of the region, contributing $11 billion and 38,000 jobs to Ontario’s economy.
The report includes recommendations for improving Ontario’s Growth Plan (2006) so that farming continues to generate jobs, contribute to our economy, ensure access to local food, and provide important ecosystem services that benefit everyone in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Report - Farmland at risk: Why land-use planning needs improvements for a healthy agricultural future in the Greater Golden Horseshoe
DownloadExecutive Summary - Farmland at risk: Why land-use planning needs improvements for a healthy agricultural future in the Greater Golden Horseshoe
DownloadYear Published: 2015
Report Status: Current
Published by: Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Environmental Defence
Authors: Ray Tomalty, PhD, Smart Cities Research Services
Focus Areas: Agriculture and Agri-Food, Communities & Regional Growth, Natural Heritage and Biodiversity, Water Resources,
Related Topics: Agricultural Land Conservation, Economic Development, Farmland Protection, Land Use Planning, Local and Regional Food Systems, Pollinators, Species at Risk, Watershed Management