Ontario is losing farmland to development at a rate of 175 acres a day. That’s 2 million acres by the year 2050.
There are always good reasons for development: roads, schools, hospitals, homes, businesses. Municipalities tend to be pro-development because growth brings in new property tax dollars; development charge fees; and provincial/federal funding is generally population driven. Consequently, all new growth/population needs to be serviced with fresh food and clean water too.
Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) & Environmental Defence Report – Farmland at risk: Why land-use planning needs improvements for a healthy agricultural future in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (November 2015) (.pdf)
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Ä Other Farm & Food Related News
Frank Meyers Farm, Trenton, ON
Midhurst Village Development Proposal, Midhurst, ON
Pickering Lands, Pickering, ON
Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
2023-05-03 |
Farmers Forum |
Car plant wipes out 1,500 acres of farmland and likely a waste of billions of dollars
|
Nelson Zandbergen |
2021-07-06 |
Thomson Reuters Foundation |
Sizzling house prices put the squeeze on farmland in Canada
|
Chris Arsenault |
2020-2021 |
Comment |
State of emergency COVID-19 pandemic response by governments hijacked news coverage and allowed the passing of emergency legislation without scrutiny, of which we have yet to see details.
|
|
2020-12-16 |
RCInet.ca |
‘National security’ claim added to opposition to Chinese glass plant in Ontario
|
Marc Montgomery - Stratford, ON Xinyi Canada Glass Limited |
2019-05-09 |
Environmental Defence |
Ontario is making sprawl developer dreams come true
|
Susan Lloyd Swail |
2019-03-11 |
Hamiltonnews.com |
Farmland loss a key concern in Elfrida Growth Plan
|
Mike Pearson |
2019-02-22 |
National Observer |
Doug Ford shuts service that helps Ontario citizens fight wealthy developers |
Fatima Syed - Local Planning Appeal Support Centre (LPASC) |
2019-01-28 |
TheGuardian.com |
Can we ditch intensive farming - and still feed the world?
|
Fiona Harvey |
2019-01-23 |
Simcoe Reformer |
|
Monte Sonnenberg |
2019-01-02 |
Farms.com |
Lauren Arva |
|
2018-12-13 |
Hamilton Spectator / Thespec.com |
Opinion: If you want cheaper produce, stop the grab for farmland |
Tim Gray, Environmental Defence |
2018-12-07 |
Globe and Mail |
Ontario bill would open up Greenbelt, activists warn
|
Jeff Gray |
2018-05-17 |
DurhamRegion.com |
Chris Hall - Mayor Tom Rowett |
|
2018-05-17 |
Welland Tribune |
Farmland protection a hot topic at Peterborough-Kawartha candidates debate
|
Joelle Kovach |
2018-05-03 |
National Farmers Union |
Press Release: Beyond the Election: Protecting Farmland for the Future
|
Emery Huszka |
2018-04-29 |
Change.org |
Petition: Stop the Halton Catholic School Board’s expropriation of our family’s farm land
|
Jessica McCann |
2018-04-09 |
Farms.com |
Understanding regional farmland prices across Ontario
|
Kaitlynn Anderson |
2018-03-26 |
Toronto Sun |
Liberal green energy projects eating up farmland, farmers say
|
Jenny Yuen |
2017-10-20 |
InsideHalton.com |
Rick Goldring - Burlington 50% urban/50% Greenbelt |
|
2017-09 |
National Geographic |
Frank Viviano and Luca Locatelli - The Netherlands |
|
2017-09-04 |
Toronto Star |
Trying to stop prime Ontario farmland from being ‘entombed forever’
|
Ainslie Cruickshank |
2017-07-20 |
Huffington Post |
Montreal IGA Says It's 1st Supermarket In Canada To Sell Produce Grown On Roof |
Daniel Tencer |
2017-07-08 |
Vice News |
Arielle Duhaime-Ross |
|
2017-07-07 |
PopularMechanics.com |
Freight Farms Builds Farms in Shipping Containers, and NASA Wants to Launch Them to Space |
Alice Sweitzer |
2017-07-04 |
Financial Post |
What about photosynthesis? Ontario greenhouses are getting charged for carbon their plants consume |
Peter Kuttenbrouwer |
2017-05-31 |
Statistics Canada |
Seeding decisions harvest opportunities for Canadian farmers |
|
2017-05-11 |
Globe and Mail |
Ontario’s Greenbelt architect launches defence of anti-sprawl policies |
Jeff Gray |
2017-05-10 |
Ontario Federation of Agriculture |
Ontario is losing the equivalent of 175 acres of farmland every day (previously 350 acres per day) |
|
2017-05-05 |
Farms.com |
Jennifer Jackson |
|
2017-03-30 |
Orilliapacket.com |
Forum explores options for farmers who want to avoid selling their land to developers |
Andrew Phillips |
2017-03-30 |
National Farmers Union |
Press Release: Farmland is for Farmers: NFU-O Presentation to Ontario Farmland Trust |
Emery Huszka |
2017-03-08 |
Manitoba Co-operator |
Urbanization, not foreign ownership, the real threat to farmland |
Alex Binkley - Bonnefield, Tom Eisenhauer |
2017-01-02 |
Brantford Expositor |
Michael-Allan Marion |
|
2016-11-29 |
Barrie Examiner |
Cheryl Browne |
|
2016-11-17 |
Hamilton Spectator |
Agriculture groups band together to save farming and farmland |
Matt Setzkorn |
2016-11-01 |
Orangeville Banner |
Chris Halliday |
|
2016-10-09 |
New York Times Magazine |
George Steinmetz |
|
2016-09-28 |
Globe and Mail |
320,000 newcomers came to Canada in past year, highest number since 1971 |
Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press |
2016-09-09 |
Ottawa Citizen |
How Ontario is failing its rural residents — and why it matters |
Tom Spears |
2016-08-04 |
Orangeville Banner |
Alexandra Heck |
|
2015-12-08 |
Hamilton Spectator |
Don McCabe and Tim Gray |
|
2015-11-24 |
RCInet.ca / Radio Canada International |
Marc Montgomery |
|
2015-08-18 |
Orillia Packet & Times |
Green party leader’s endorsement of campaign not shared by other candidates in Simcoe North |
Patrick Bales |
2015-08-15 |
Brantford Expositor |
Michael-Allan Marion |
|
2015-08-14 |
Orillia Packet & Times |
Patrick Bales |
|
2015-05-28 |
Shelburne Free Press |
Marni Walsh |
|
2015-05-28 |
Shelburne Free Press |
Marni Walsh |
|
2015-05-21 |
Huffington Post |
Oilsands Are Dying, Canada Should Become Food Superpower: Rubin |
Daniel Tencer |
2015-05-17 |
Toronto Star |
Noor Javed |
|
2015-05-11 |
Globe and Mail |
Sylvain Charlebois |
|
2015-02-28 |
Toronto Star |
Susan Pigg |
|
2015-02-11 |
Orangeville Citizen |
Karren Wallace |
|
2015-02-10 |
CBC |
Ontario doesn't grow enough food to feed itself, but it could: Study |
Danni Gresko |
2015-02-10 |
CountryGuide |
Gerald Pilger |
|
2015-02-03 |
Government of Ontario |
Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship -- Helping Ontario Farmers Keep the Great Lakes Healthy |
|
2015-01-06 |
EcoWatch / John W. Roulac |
The Solution Under Our Feet: How Regenerative Organic Agriculture Can Save the Planet |
John W. Roulac |
2014-12-03 |
News & Advance (USA) |
Shannon Brennan |
|
2014-11-04 |
Barrie Examiner |
Small organizations eyeing development decisions welcome political changes |
Cheryl Browne |
2014-10-14 |
Madhunt.com |
Letter to the Editor Shirley Boxem |
|
2014-09-30 |
Toronto Star |
Susan Pigg |
|
2014-09-30 |
Wallaceburg Courier Press |
Ellwood Shreve - Chatham-Kent |
|
2014-09-12 |
BlackburnNews.com |
Steve Sabourin - Nathan Stevens, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO)
|
|
2014-05-14 |
Youtube / Ontario Farms |
Ontario Federation of Agriculture - preserving classes 1-4 |
|
2014-01-14 |
Toronto Sun |
Ernst Kuglin, QMI |
|
2014-01-01 |
Ontario Landowners Association |
Mallory McClinchey |
|
2013-12-12 |
Globe and Mail |
Eric Atkins |
|
2013-11-29 |
Orangeville Banner / Orangeville.com |
Bill Tremblay |
|
2013-11-21 |
Orangeville Citizen |
Wes Keller |
|
2013-11-19 |
In the Hills |
Tim Shuff |
|
2013-11-08 |
Toronto Star |
Ontario Liberals undermined own plan to control sprawl: Walkom |
Thomas Walkom |
2013-07-19 |
CBC Radio “As it Happens” |
|
|
2013-07-18 |
Goldhawk Fights Back |
|
|
2013-07-18 |
Global News |
Heather Loney |
|
2013-07-18 |
NDACT/CAUSE/CORE |
Statement: Bonnefield Financial purchase of Melancthon farmland: A Fresh Start |
|
2013-07-18 |
CBC Radio |
Podcast |
|
2013-07-18 |
Orangeville Citizen |
|
|
2013-07-18 |
Orangeville Citizen |
Wes Keller |
|
2013-07-17 |
National Post |
Mega quarry land north of Toronto bought by burgeoning farm fund Bonnefield |
John Greenwood |
2013-07-17 |
Financial Post |
Mega quarry land north of Toronto bought by burgeoning farm fund Bonnefield |
John Greenwood |
2013-07-17 |
Value Walk |
Seth Klarman Mega-Quarry Plans Over as Oontario Farmland is Sold |
Tabinda Hussain 6,500 sold What about remaining 2,000 acres? |
2013-07-16 |
Orangeville Banner |
Chris Halliday |
|
2013-07-16 |
Wall Street Journal |
||
2013-06-03 |
Inter Press Services News Agency |
Stephen Leahy |
|
2013-04-10 |
Brantford Expositor |
Michael-Allan Marion |
|
2013-03-20 |
Mountain Life |
Squash the Mega-quarry (.jpg) and Mega-Victory (pg 52-61) |
Magazine link pgs 36 and 52-61 |
2013-03-09 |
Thespec.com |
Daniel Nolan FORCE (more info) |
|
2013-02-21 |
Harpin Norm |
Audio only |
|
2013-02-16 |
Matthew Kellway, MP Beaches/East York |
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal: Carl Cosack |
|
2013-02-14 |
Record.com |
Region will fight to maintain control over depth of gravel pits |
Terry Pender Region of Waterloo |
2013-02-14 |
Creemore Echo |
Brad Holden |
|
2010-09-03 |
CBC News |
“modified milk ingredients” |
|
2006-05-16 |
Statistics Canada |
57,211 farms/13.3 million acres in Ontario 229,373 farms in Canada |
|
2002-04-20 |
University of Guelph |
|
|
2001-06-11 |
Globe and Mail |
Wallace Immen |
More Ontario Information:
See also:
AO Info: Site C Hydro Development, BC
SOAR (Save Open-space and Agricultural Resources), Ventura County, USA www.soarvc.org
Date |
Source |
Title |
Comment |
2021-09-23 |
democracynow.org |
The Globalized, Corporate-Led Food System Is Failing Us: Boycott Grows of U.N. Food Summit
|
Amy Goodman |
2021-09-22 |
ThePulse.one |
Food & Farming: Dr. Vandana Shiva Calls Out Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg & Monsanto
|
Arjun Walia - Interview with Dr. Vandana Shiva |
2021-01-17 |
Farming Independent (Ireland) |
US funds $1m research project studying COVID-19 in US beef supply chain
|
Clodagh Kilcoyne |
2021-01-16 |
National Hog Farmer |
Research finds pigs are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2
|
Krissa Welshans |
2021-01-15 |
Agriculture.com |
Bill Gates is about to Change the Way America Farms
|
Eric O’Keefe |
2021-01-14 |
Forbes.com |
America’s Biggest Owner Of Farmland Is Now Bill Gates
|
|
2021-01-03 |
Ice Age Farmer |
Pigs Catch COVID – UK Bans Free Range Chickens! – War on Meat / Animal AG (16 mins)
|
Christian
|
2018-11-27 |
Vox.com |
Food safety detectives are zeroing in on source of romaine lettuce E. Coli outbreak
|
Brian Resnick |
2018-05-04 |
Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) |
OFA lays out prosperity plan for provincial election candidates
|
Keith Currie, President, OFA |
2018-01-26 |
Globe and Mail |
Campbell Soup closing 87-year-old Toronto facility; 380 jobs to be affected
|
J. David Ake |
2017-07-13 |
ChicagoTribune.com |
More than a million hens, filling barns at three per square foot. And yes, they're USDA Organic
|
Peter Whoriskey |
2017-08-13 |
Toronto Star |
Rains, then flooding, killing crops for many Ontario farmers
|
Kristin Rushowy |
2016-11-17 |
EcoWatch / Waterkeeper Alliance |
Waterkeeper Alliance |
|
2016-10-24 |
Globe and Mail |
Ontario supplier charged with mislabeling chicken as organic |
Ann Hui |
2016-07-06 |
EcoWatch / Dr. David Suzuki |
How the World’s Most Fertile Soil Can Help Reverse Climate Change |
Dr. David Suzuki |
2016-05-20 |
CTV News |
Over 400 frozen food products being recalled across Canada, U.S. and Mexico |
David Pitt |
2016-04-23 |
Peterborough Examiner |
Jessica Nyznik |
|
2017-04-11 |
Orilliapacket.com |
Mehreen Shahid |
|
2016-02-29 |
National Post |
Carolyn Thompson |
|
2016-02-04 |
theGuardian.com |
Angelique Chrisafis |
|
2016-01-14 |
CBC News Windsor |
- former Heinz, Leamington plant |
|
2016-01-14 |
Global News / Associated Press |
Could using oilfield water to irrigate crops be the future of farming? |
Ellen Knickmeyer |
2016-01-06 |
TrueActivist.com |
Walmart Recalling 90,000 Pounds Of Beef For Containing “Extraneous Wood Materials” |
John Vibes - Walmart |
2016-01-04 |
True Activist |
Nestle Can No Longer Advertise Nesquick As “A Great Start To The Day” In The UK |
Amanda Froelich |
2015-12-29 |
CBC News |
Food prices set to rise in 2016 as weak loonie takes a bigger bite |
The Canadian Press |
2015-12-21 |
CBC News |
Ontario farm converts from pigs to shrimp in hopes of jumbo profits |
Laura MacNaughton and Renee Filippone |
2015-10-16 |
CBC News Montreal |
Salmonella outbreak hits 8 provinces, several people hospitalized |
|
2015-10-05 |
Farms.com |
Dairy Farmers of Canada
|
|
2015-10-05 |
Globe and Mail |
|
|
2015-10-05 |
Toronto Star |
The Canadian Press |
|
2015-10-05 |
Government of Canada |
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada - tentative agreement reached between 12 countries including Canada |
|
2015-11-09 |
In The Hills Magazine |
Jeff Rollings |
|
2015-08-26 |
Simcoe.com / Midland Mirror |
Bad timing for Simcoe North byelection, Green candidate says |
Frank Matys - Valerie Powell signs pledge |
2015-08-19 |
Ring of Fire radio |
Pakman Describes the DuPont Dark Side of America’s Biggest Chemical Co., Creepy Stuff |
- Teflon |
2015-06-04 |
Stowe Today (USA) |
Michael Sweatman - Working to protect bobolinks in Vermont, USA |
|
2015-05-18 |
EcoWatch / Cole Mellino |
Watch John Oliver’s Hilarious Rant Exposing the Horrors of the Chicken Industry |
Cole Mellino - USA chicken industry |
2015-04-16 |
Rabble.ca |
National Farmers Union |
|
2015-04-10 |
EcoWatch / Radha McLean |
Find Out Which Companies Responsibly Source Palm Oil (You Might Be Surprised) |
Radha McLean |
2015-03-25 |
The Guardian (UK) |
We’re treating soil like dirt. It’s a fatal mistake, as our lives depend on it |
George Monbiot |
2015-03-25 |
FoodAndWaterWatch.org |
A Mega-Merger Too Far: Kraft Foods-H.J Heinz Announce Merger |
Patrick Woodall |
2015-02-18 |
EcoWatch / Anastasia Pantsios |
Nestlé to Dump Artificial Colors and Flavors in U.S. Candy, Something It Did in Europe Years Ago |
Anastasia Pantsios |
2015-02-11 |
CTV News Barrie |
- Elite Salads brand White Fish - Mountainoak Cheese Ltd. Farmstead Premium Dutch Semi-soft cheese |
|
2015-01-01 |
MassReport.com |
Buffy Naillon |
|
2014-11-10 |
Rabble.ca |
Billions of kilograms of food waste? Now that should have been an election issue! |
Wayne Roberts |
2014-11-09 |
EcoWatch / Food & Water Watch (USA) |
|
|
2014-10-10 |
Toronto Star |
Vanessa Lu - former Heinz plant in Leamington |
|
2014-09-12 |
ModernFarmer.com |
Anna O’Brien |
|
2014-07-15 |
EcoWatch / Beyond Pesticides |
|
|
2014-01-25 |
Daily Mail (UK) |
Philip Lymbery |
|
2014-01-20 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2014-01-07 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-11-19 |
Globe & Mail |
Paul Waldie |
|
2013-11-08 |
Youtube / Bill Nye |
|
|
2013-11-07 |
Orangeville Citizen |
Wes Keller |
|
2013-10-14 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-10-14 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-10-13 |
Natural Cures Not Medicine |
April McCarthy |
|
2013-10-01 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-09-09 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-07-08 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-07-08 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-06-17 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-06-02 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
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2013-05-07 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
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2013-04-02 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2013-02-25 |
ThePetersonFarmBros |
|
|
2012-10 |
Dowling Pictures |
||
2012-04-20 |
CBC News Sudbury |
|
|
2008-02-13 |
Youtube / National Geographic |
National Geographic - Belgian Blue, product of selective breeding |
See also:
Return to AWARE-Ontario.ca Home Page
List of Ontario’s Issues
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled through private amateur research for the purpose of allowing the reader to make an informed and educated decision. However, while the information is believed to be reliable, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
https://awareontario.nfshost.com/AWARE-Ontario/Issues/Dev_Farmland/ONFarmland.htm
AO News – Farmland Development