Eating Too in Halton Region. Having Your Growth & Farmland Preservation Forum. Places to Grow Food. Helma Geerts, MSc, MCIP, RPP

Transcription

1 Having Your Growth & Eating Too in Halton Region Places to Grow Food Farmland Preservation Forum 2007 Helma Geerts, MSc, MCIP, RPP

2 Theme Ignorant men don't know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away. Sophocles BC

3 Presentation Content Halton as a case study on competing demands for prime agricultural land, challenges & opportunities, innovative programs, & approaches to tough questions 3

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5 28 SIDE RD. CAMPBELLVILLE RD. 10 SIDE RD. 8 SIDE RD. 4 SIDE 2 SIDE RD. MAINWAY KERR ST. HWY. 403 PLAINS RD. BRANT ST. 32 SIDE RD. 27 SIDE RD. 22 SIDE RD. MAPLE AVE. 17 SIDE RD. GUELPH ST. 15 SIDE RD. 5 HWY SIDE RD. 25 SIDE RD. SECOND LINE 20 SIDE RD. FIRST LINE GUELPH LINE FOURTH LINE FIFTH LINE SIXTH LINE TOWN LINE FIRST LINE FIRST LINE REGIONAL RD. 25 MAIN ST. CAMPBELLVILLE RD. 14 SIDE RD. APPELBY LINE BELL SCHOOL LINE 3 SIDE RD. GUELPH LINE WALKERS LINE 15 SIDE RD. HWY. 401 STEELES AVE. DERRY RD. BRITANNIA RD. COLLING RD. MCNIVEN RD. TWISS RD. FIFTH LINE SIXTH LINE TRAFALGAR RD. EIGHTH LINE NINTH LINE MOUNTAINVIEW RD. TENTH LINE WINSTON CHURCHILL BLVD. HWY. 7 RIVER DR. 10 SIDE RD. 5 SIDE RD. STEELES AVE. HWY. 401 DERRY RD. THIRD LINE FOURTH LINE JAMES SNOW PKWY. RD. DUNDAS ST. 2 SIDE RD. 1 SIDE RD. HWY. 407 WATERDOWN RD. KING RD. CEDAR SPRINGS RD. TREMAINE RD. FIRST LINE BRONTE ST. REGIONAL RD. 25 THIRD LINE ONTARIO ST. THOMPSON RD. FOURTH LINE SIXTH LINE TRAFALGAR RD. EIGHTH LINE HWY. 407 BRITANNIA RD. BURNHAMTHORPE RD. DUNDAS ST. UPPER MIDDLE RD. LOWER BASE LINE UPPER MIDDLE RD. QUEEN ELIZABETH WAY WALKERS LINE FAIRVIEW ST. GUELPH LINE FIFTH LINE LOWER BASE LINE QUEEN ELIZABETH WAY APPLEBY LINE BURLOAK DR. BRONTE RD. THIRD LINE FOURTH LINE DR. SIXTH LINE TRAFALGAR RD. EIGHTH LINE NINTH LINE WINSTON CHURCHILL BLVD. ROYAL WINDSOR DR. DORVAL SPEERS RD. LAKESHORE RD. REBECCA ST. NEW ST. LAKESHORE RD. NORTH SHORE BLVD. HWY. 403 Ag in Halton Area below escarpment mostly Class 1 4 th highest sales per acre in Ont. (after Niagara, Waterloo & Hamilton) HAMILTON HARBOUR LAKE ONTARIO Soil Classes 1, 2, 3

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7 Farm type Wheat Other Combination Hog Field Crop Livestock Combination Fruit Vegetable Horse & Pony Nursery Product & Sod Farm Type Change Highest gross farm receipts - dairy, greenhouse & grain/oilseeds Fastest growing - nursery, horse & greenhouse (typical of near-urban agriculture) Misc Specialty Greenhouse Product Poultry & Egg Grain & Oilseed Cattle Dairy Millions $

8 Support for Agricultural Viability HAAC / annual farm tour Annual grants for agricultural organizations Prohibition against severances GTA Ag Working Group (supporting GTA-AAC) TODDS signage program On-Farm Business policies Policy on Safe Movement of Farm Vehicles (signage, annual consultation & EA involvement) Farmers Forums (Young Farmers, Rural Rules, Growing Your Opportunities) Simply Local farm directory & website Livestock Facility Guidelines Professional Forestry advice Farm-to-School Program (Sept. 07) Business Development staff Fresh Food Box 8

9 Strategic Plan ( Council Priorities) Protect and promote the continued viability of agriculture in Halton Develop a strategy for rural lands adjacent to urban areas 9

10 Provincial Greenbelt Protection Vision Protect agricultural land base and support agriculture as the predominant land use Permanently protect natural heritage & water resources Provide for diverse economic & social activities Reality Natural Resource focus with some agricultural lands 10

11 Is the Greenbelt Enough? 11

12 The Provincial Growth Plan Imperative What is the Province s vision for Halton s future? k people (2031) 130k-300k homes 190k-390k jobs What is Halton s vision for its future? Within remaining 15,000 ha, permanently protect what is valuable Ensure complete communities Set minimum densities & intensification targets Protect employment lands Give public transit priority Strictly control urban expansion Maximize use of existing infrastructure 12

13 Halton s Response: Durable Halton Plan Initial Consultation Scoping Studies Building Blocks Strategic Thinking Stage Develop Communication and Consultation Plan Where we re at Building Blocks Strategic Planning Transportation Plan Official Plan Review Master Servicing Plan 2008 Decision Making New Regional Official Plan with supporting Financial Plan Performance Monitoring 2009 Implementation 13

14 Studies Natural Heritage System Agricultural Vision Aggregates Strategy Archaeological Resources Land Supply Urban Structure Intensification Density Choices Housing Mixes Economic Strategy Demographic Changes Healthy Communities Principles Energy Supply & Demand Air Quality Climate Change Waste Management Transportation Infrastructure Water & Wastewater Infrastructure 14

15 Having our Growth & Eating Too - Trade-offs & Synergies Development Land Natural Heritage System Aggregates Employment Lands 15

16 Significant Challenges Uncertainty / speculation / lack of investment Rising land prices Retiring farmers Poor economics for new farmers Threats to land base Lack of local food distribution system 16

17 Local Food Movement Challenges Source: Ryan Austin, U of T 17

18 Opportunities Complete, sustainable communities Environment & health are public priorities GTA Agricultural Action Plan Toronto is NA food & bev leader Local Food Movement 6 million customers within a 30 min. drive 18

19 Vision Ontario Institute of Agrologists November 30, 2005 Peter Lambrick Vision: A dynamic, viable GTA agricultural industry where committed stakeholders work together with agricultural industry leaders to address challenges and lead change. Priority: Promote opportunities to cater to GTA market (grow what consumers want & link producers & consumers) 19

20 Questions Will there be a role for agriculture beyond the Greenbelt? How much land? Where? (prioritization) How to ensure farms are farmed What about cemeteries, golf course, sports parks, churches? How to pay for farmland preservation Equity between farmers 20