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Province looks to farmers to help frame a "made-in-Ontario solution" to urban growth"We need to make sure that we work with agriculture to protect agricultural interests," says Agriculture Minister Steven Peters. Top priorities on the province's list of items to address are land severances, minimum distance separation and trespassingby SARAH McGOLDRICKThe provincial government is ready to take on urban growth management in an effort to preserve Ontario's agriculture.In a report released in October 2004, the Agricultural Advisory Team highlights several key areas of focus which Agriculture Minister Steven Peters says the province is ready to tackle. He says the province will draw from the report and its recommendations as it looks for ways to maintain the economic viability of Ontario's agriculture industry. Though the report examines a number of issues, including urban boundaries, taxes and research, Peters says the items on the top of the province's list are land severances, minimum distance separation and trespassing. He says the province can move quickly on these items, while others, such as attacks by wild animals, require extended talks with other ministries -- in this case, the Ministry of Natural Resources. The team's recommendations will also be used to curb urban invasion into prime agricultural land and clearly define land use within the province. Peters says the in-house approach of consulting with members of the agriculture industry was applied with the hope of a "made-in-Ontario solution." He notes that "these are issues that have been identified by farmers and the recommendations will take the province and the sustainability of its agriculture into the 21st century." Peters also believes that development cannot be prevented and that improved provincial policy is necessary to stop irreversible damage. "The future of agriculture comes from managing growth in this province. We need to make sure that we work with agriculture to protect agricultural interests." It was with this in mind that the Agricultural Advisory Team was created by the Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt Task Force itself an advisory body appointed by the government in 2003 to make recommendations on the proposed Greenbelt. The majority of Ontario's urban expansion is occurring within the Golden Horseshoe, where the population is expected to grow by an additional four million people by 2031. "One of the concerns that came to the task force early on was the feeling there should be more consultation with the agricultural community," says former federal minister of agriculture Lyle Vanclief, who led the team's research along with Bo Bedggood, president of the Christian Farmers of Ontario. Vanclief says the implementation of Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) was the greatest concern for most farmers they interviewed. Farmers said they would like to see MDS I, the minimum distance for new development from existing livestock operations, and MDS II, the minimum distance for new or expanding livestock facilities from existing or approved development, combined into one MDS formula. Vanclief says many farmers were under the impression that municipalities determined how MDS is applied to existing livestock operations. He adds that farmers want to see universal criteria applied to new and existing dwellings, with minor variances in MDS of up to five per cent based on individual cases. Farmers also said they would like more assurance from government that MDS will only apply to existing livestock facilities after three years of use. In addition, Vanclief says, types of livestock facilities, size of the farming operations and manure systems should be a factor in the distance required between a dwelling and a livestock facility, with MDS reviews every five years to incorporate new technology and other advancements Vanclief says farmers are tired of seeing good farm land taken away by developers and want to see the province control urban density in established agricultural areas. "We have got to stop paving over good farm land," says Vanclief, noting that existing development has been "helter-skelter" with little regard for existing farm operations. He says agricultural lands should be zoned for the purpose of agriculture, which can be achieved through establishment of urban boundaries. The report calls for better mapping of Ontario's agricultural resources at both the provincial and municipal levels by clearly establishing urban boundaries for residential, commercial and industrial lands to reduce the number of fields without crops and promote in-filling in established urban areas.
Drawing the lineWith profits increasingly hard to come by, many farmers are looking for ways to make money from outside their farming operation. Farmers across the province are turning to land severance as an additional source of income.Ian Harrop, a Centre Wellington dairy farmer and president of the Wellington County Cattlemen's Association, says land severance have always been a "sticky situation" for farmers. He says severances often result in additional costs, such as water and sewage hook up, but they can also add to the pocket book if a farmer chooses to sever land for large-scale development. Under the existing Farm Property Class Tax Rate, farm properties are taxed at 25 per cent of municipal tax rate while adjoining farm residences with less than one acre of land are taxed as residential class Harrop says farmers are guilty of severing land as a quick fix for financial problems without thinking about the agricultural consequences. Harrop believes better promotion, marketing and management of agricultural interests would result in fewer farmers selling off land. The federal and provincial governments have already pledged more than $1.7 billion in investment in Ontario's agri-food sector. However, farmers would like to see an additional 10 per cent in research investment per year over the next five years to improve land management practices. Financial support for the research would come from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of the Environment. Wellington County has incorporated future growth and resource management into the county official plan. Harrop says, farmers have made it clear they are not in favour of severances for residential purposes because they cause permanent loss of agricultural land.
"The general public idealize about living in the country, where it is peaceful and tranquil," Harrop says, adding that the illusion quickly dissolves as new residents face dust, noise and the extended working hours of farming operations.
Harrop says he now has the local snowmobile association sign an agreement freeing him from responsibility for injury or death when using his property. The province is examining ways to partner with farm organizations to develop a signage program to deter trespassing. "Farmers are not opposed to anglers and hunters, but they need to let us know what they are doing," says Harrop. "It does have the potential to be a big problem." The province plans to involve agricultural industries in public policy formulation. It wants to see them take a more active role at meetings regarding zoning and by-law changes, as well as Ontario Municipal Board hearings. In addition, the report recommends the province increase funding to train municipal employees and planners in how to manage growth at the municipal level. Harrop feels this kind of education has been a low priority for the province for too long and that an increase in spending at all levels is the only way to ensure the public appreciates that agriculture is a vital part of Ontario. "It takes a government effort to put in enough money to make a difference." he says. "The government has a huge amount of power and this is something the government has to take a lead in."
A complete copy of the Agricultural Advisory Team report is available at: http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/aat/advice.htm
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