'It certainly feels good to be heard': Ontario farmers convince Ford government to abandon lot severances
Ontario farmers convince the Ontario government to abandon lot severances.
The proposal was included in a Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) designed to ease the housing crisis in Ontario.
Along with Bill 97, a separate piece of legislation, called the “Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act”, Ontario is trying to find ways to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.
The PPS included a proposal to allow a parcel of farmland to be severed in three ways.
“Unfortunately the lot severance was something that was just I'm not sure there was going to be any middle ground,” says Ethan Wallace, director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). “Our province needs housing and we don't want to stand in the way of that. But we certainly think there's a more efficient and better use for farmland than simply sprawl housing.”
On May 19, the OFA issued a joint letter on behalf of most of Ontario’s agriculture associations, asking the government to abandon the severance proposal.
“The concerns surrounded operations like myself that are on the small side,” says Wallace. “A house can be put at the limit, the existing minimum distance separation, and it will prevent me from expanding my operation in the future.”
Wallace says after voicing their concerns the government “took the time to listen and to sit down with us”.
On May 29, the OFA issued a news release saying the province was abandoning the severance proposal.
“It certainly feels good that we were heard,” says Wallace. ”It means that they do respect agriculture here in Ontario.”
In a written statement to CTV News Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing confirmed, “We will not be moving forward with the proposal on rural lot severances.”
The Ministry says the proposal was meant to make it easier for farmers to sever a piece of their land to a descendent and allow them to build a home closer to existing barns or buildings than is currently allowed.
“To be clear: It has never been our intention for severed lots to be transferred or sold to non-family/farm owners, nor for these lots to have anything more than single-family homes (i.e. no multi-residential structures),” Minister Steve Clark wrote in his letter to the OFA. “Any ambiguity regarding our intentions will be clarified, eliminated and resolved.”
The government has now extended the public consultation phase on the PPS to August 4, 2023, to allow “..our government more time to consider alternative solutions to support multi-generational farm families..”.
According to CTVNews.ca, the Ontario government passed Bill 97 on Monday.
It will go into effect once it receives Royal Assent.
The legislation will allow cities, among other things, to expand their borders “at any time” in order to build more homes.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.