Urban Sprawl vs Farmland
Good read about urban sprawl and how it is affecting agricultural land.
Did you know that Port Colborne has lost 10% of available agricultural land to development? PCQ (Port Colborne Quarries, Inc. aka Rankin Construction, Inc.) has contributed significantly. The planned expansion of PIT 3 to Miller road will make more of this land extinct!
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture says the province is facing an increase in the rate of farmland loss as urban sprawl swallows up land previously used for growing.
The Canadian Press
Data from the 2021 Census of Agriculture suggests Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland daily, equal to the loss of one average family farm per day.
Vice president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Mark Reusser says urban sprawl and new housing developments are major factors contributing to the loss of farmland in Ontario, where only five per cent of landmass is useable farmland.
He adds COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine have shown how easily supply chains can be disrupted and stressed the importance of independent Canadian food production.
His farmer-led organization is calling on municipal governments and the province to better protect farmland and food production when planning new developments to alleviate the housing crisis.
Reusser says farmland itself is finite but can be a perpetual resource for food when treated well.
