Protecting and Maintaining Canada s Agricultural Land for Food Production Presentation to 3 rd Annual Food Summit Conference Board of Canada March 2014
The Lay of the Land
Presentation A look at Canada s Agricultural Lands What makes good soil for growing food? Food Security for Canada Tools used to Preserve Agricultural Land Provincial Municipal
Rural land use is a topic that affects so many. Land is not only the major asset for farmers, it is a key driver of rural communities and the Canadian economy, Professor Brady Deaton Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics (FARE) University of Guelph
Soil Science 101 Productivity Flexibility Management needed for conservation and production
Soil Classification Prime Agricultural Land Classes 1-3 Dependabl
Canada Land Inventory: Dependable Agricultural Land by Province Province Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Square Km Canadian Total % Quebec 223 10,713 13,625 24,560 5.0 Ontario 27,635 23,335 25,567 76,537 15.5 Manitoba 2,111 29,617 24,499 56,228 11.4 Saskatchewan 12,282 73,341 104,482 190,105 38.6 Alberta 6,719 38,704 61,039 106,462 21.6 British Columbia 78 1,574 5,270 6,922 1.4
Prime Agricultural Land is a farmers best hope for profitability and for the future of farming.
Food Security Canada is supplying 23% of the food consumed by Canadians At present, 60% of our imported food is coming from California with the remainder coming from Chili, Mexico, Holland and South Africa China has lost 8 million acres of agricultural land due to pollution and heavy metal contamination World population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050
Tools Used in Preservation of Agricultural Land in Canada Provincial Protection through Policy Agricultural Land Reserves Greenbelt Specialty Crop Areas LEAR studies Agricultural Advisory Commitees New urban park models
Provincial Protection Protection of Farmland Protection of Natural Resources and Environment Promotion of Sustainable Growth and Development
Strong Provincial Policy forms basis for protection of Agricultural lands
Provincial Protection- Quebec 70% of Quebec s agricultural production comes from farms located within a 60km radius of one of Quebec s six urban centres Passed in 1997, the Act respecting the Preservation of agricultural land and agricultural activities requests for exclusion from the agricultural zone are increasing along with development projects Coupled with Agricultural Land Protection Commission case by case decisions
Ontario Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) Released on Monday, February 24, 2014 In effect April 30, 2014 Key Changes to Prime Agricultural Area Policies: Prime Agricultural Areas now need to be protected and designated A broader range of economic opportunities are permitted on farms and in prime agricultural areas Strengthened requirement for new or expanding non-agricultural uses to mitigate impacts to surrounding agricultural operations 5
Minimum Distance Separation - MDS
Agricultural Land Reserve British Columbia
ALR 40 year history established in 1973 Enacted to establish land base for farming and protect against urban development Decrease of approximately 40,000 hectares in the ALR since 1973 Boundaries continually changing Seen as an urban land bank for growing municipalities
Sacrosanct Agricultural Land Commission eyed for breakup November 7, 2013
ALC Chair s report March 6, 2014 While I recognize that the ALC Act was designed to resist development pressures, there may come a time when farmers themselves will consider relocation. I envision that agricultural enterprises may look northward and consider the potential future agricultural role of northeast BC.
The Greenbelt
Settlement Areas Golden Horseshoe
Places to Grow - Ontario Urban Growth Centres 25 Urban Growth Centres identified (UGCs) Range of minimum densities (residents & jobs combined per hectare) by 2031: Toronto - 400 GTA, Hamilton and Waterloo Region - 200 Outer Ring 150
Class One land in Ontario 56% of all Canadian Class One lands are located in Ontario In 2001 11% of Ontario s Class One lands were being used for urban purposes By 2030 this number will be estimated to be over 25% due to the Places to Grow growth plan
2005 Greenbelt Plan Uproar in the Countryside Heavy handed approach to implementation alienated many landwoners High Approval by Urban Dwellers Oak Ridges Morraine Plan and Niagara Escarpment plan overlay the same area with different goals and definitions Confusion reigns at the Municipal level
Tool Designation of Specialty Crop Areas Comprised of Niagara Peninsula Tender Fruit and Grape Area (100,000) and Holland Marsh (15,000 ) Highest level of protection in the Greenbelt plan only No urban expansions No new non-agricultural uses permitted Permits full range of normal farm practices and agriculture, agriculture-related and secondary uses
Greenbelt caused uncertainty Unless the farmers can remain economically viable in the Greenbelt, it will soon turn into large country estates and there will be no farmers Peel Region Farmer
Municipal Tools Official Plans LEAR studies Community Improvement Planning Economic Development Incentives for Value Added Bylaws
LEAR Analysis Land Evaluation (LE) The land evaluation is given a weight of 70 per cent in the LEAR evaluation. Area Review (AR) identifies other important factors such as land use, parcel size and adjacent land uses that contribute to the suitability of a property for agricultural activities. The area review is given a weight of 30 per cent in the LEAR evaluation.
Agricultural Advisory Commitee Input from community farmers and rural residents Help to confirm scoring based on criteria applied to all parcels (groundtruthing) Ongoing advice to Planning and Economic Development at Regional levels
Farming on Public Lands Toronto and Region Conservation Authority has lead the way 3 different farm models on conservation land Long term leases stress soil enhancement Rouge Park Canada s first urban park - 5000 acres - showcase current agriculture practice and agrifood businesses
Food and Farming in the Golden Horseshoe Rock Stars of Ontario Agriculture and Food