Agriculture is one of the…

Agriculture is one of the primary economic drivers in the province of Ontario.
As a farmer, I feel it is very short-sighted to allow farmland severances for housing on our best soils and I support the position of the broad coalition of Ontario agriculture groups that all new rural housing lots be added in hamlets and villages with municipal services.
The severance policy in Bill 97 would put farm businesses at risk—shrinking the efficiency of crop production, increasing rural conflicts, and inflating farmland prices. This bill sends a message that Ontario is NOT open for business when it comes to agriculture.
I also encourage the government to consider future policies that will protect Ontario’s very limited class 1 and class 2 soils from non-agricultural development.