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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-03-08, Page 28Page. © 'iharin *Edition $ DOMM •COTNSTRUCTION GENERAL f AL CONTRACTORS AID Types nV New Buildings *AGRi.CULTURAL *RESIDENTIAL' Allan .:Damn Renovations and Repairs Distributors and lnstailerr .nt: Roofing 0 -Siding o °1'asolE Soffi4 ,AEON +15.74 • MMERCIAL Frank Damn — 2 ONLY — 7'PASSENGER ''VAN 4 x ,.o — automatic overdrive transmission — 4 wheel drive -- cruise control — chrome wheels — rear wiper & washer — power steering & power brakes — rear heater dual remote -mirrors — tilt wheel — Intermittent wipers — All Season Radials fP205R5R14) — full spare — ford -out bed — Quartz ciock — day nigit rear view -mirror — cup holder — remote fuel door — child protector door locks — heavy duty ,heater battery starter — finished in silver metallic SRS 4 :RUNNER EFI engine — 5 speed — power steering — power brakes — sunroof mag wheels — .AMFFMi radio — shadelight glass — rear wiper & <washer — roil bar removable fiberglass top — tilt wheel — chrome package — remote electric back door .glass & lock — dual vent windows — tachometer -- sport seat package — rear heater — 4 mud flaps — finished in fire engine red emolished from page 3 here and compete with Ontario«grown tomatos at a lower cost." Dann disagrees, saying that only a few years ago, land values of $243;000 per acre encouragedspeculation buying of loeal land. "NO%v (land values) are doWn to $1,'O0Oper acre br less," said Dunn, atlding that °`farmer whowfant tosell are happyto have buyers --farmers who are retiring, selling their farms or have run into financial dif- fictilty would rather have 'higher land prices. "Butsomeone who's looking to expand - well, everyone would like to pay $100 an acre; that's human nature." But investors are "notreally" disturbing land costs in On- tario, he said. EFF'-EON TAX BASE Absentee ownership also has a "devastating" effect on the local tax base, said -Brian Ireland. Ireland is one of the two 'people who run the Queen's Bush Rural Ministry, a hotline for rural families suffer- ingfrom any sort of problem - drugs, alcohol, marital or financia. Assessment is based prernaril n the buildings on a piece. Ipaid Ireland. "Bare land has a'' low assessment (level)," he said. Ani' absentee owners generally destroy the buildings because they have no use for them and .don't want the upkeep. "So the remaining families have higher taxes," Ireland said. However, Dunn said that many farming families demolish 'buildings as well, often becausethey switch from livestock farming to -Cash crop farming.• "Many of the properties they bought had livestock buildings - .and some were old .anyway,although in.a few casestheymight have had somelife.leftinthem, saidDimn. "The owners had -no use for them, and anybodywho owns.a farm should have the right to tear (buildings ) down." It's something that has been going on for years, Dunn .added. "This .isn't something that's unique to absentee landlords. Lots of large farm operations in Canada ho the same thing Many own two, three or four farms - they can't live in three places.at once," so they tearthe-builrlings'down on the non -inhabited farms "We're not talking;aboutthree-bedroom hnngaiows, .hut about -buildings that: aren't on a straightangie," said ,adding that "surely me wouldn't .go to the -extent" of passing legislation forcing farmers .to:keep .the houses .up :and .keep them occupied. Irelandsaidthatabsentee ownership:also Affects otherareas of the community "Most communities have an arena or community complex- something- and as the population declines it makes it harder to .keep ahem open: and operating --the work falls on fewer and fewer hands. lowers taxes "It destroys the church and school com- munities as we know them," said Ireland. "We're concerned about what this will do to the long-term fabric of the community ," McQuail agreed. And Dunn admitted that "many sepal municipalities have an ongoing challenge to maintain a revenue base that's sufficient to provide the services the community wants." NO ANSWER Those who say absentee ownership isn't a problern understandably don't see the need to pass restrictive legislation. "The problem is not an overwhelming one" since there's "still less than one per cent of Ontario farmland owned by non- resident foreign owners." "Besides, you can't say to foreign in- vestors `yes, we want you to invest here' and then say 'no, you can't invest in farmland."' It's all part of a continuing agricultural trend, said Dunn : fewer farnis producing food on less land. "Overall, we 'haven't seen any detrimen- tal effects," he said. "'lite problem, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder," especially if, you look at the fact that many foreign owners are new Canadians, he added. "We're in a transition now in rural On- tario - in rural Canada - that boggles the mind," Ireland said. "Control of the land - like control of our resources - is moving into fewer and fewer hands. Someday there's go- ing to be a breaking point." The fundamental problem is that we have no real agricultural policy, said Ireland. "For a long time we had a cheap food otcy thatproduceda Asu a1 o€ the.fit- test' situation among farmers, he said. "Theproducers have to get back the cost of the product plussome profit - if we.can't see far enough ahead to let the 'family farmers:do this, the absentee landlords,and multinational corporations will," and they won't be satisfied with small profits, he said. "I think that the hour is near in Canadian agriculture where we have to look at some of these things." Tier:PRO PIERf+IRE EXTINGUISHER A .proper fire extinguisher on your farm could save your life and save you thousands.of dollars. Each year in Ontario, a number of people are , killed in farm fires; damages cost millions of dollars. often a fire can mean financial mill to .a farmer even if he has insurance Many of theiivesand dollar losses could have been prevented with a few inexpensive fire ex- lin.guishers placed strategically about the farm. Cheek your fire protection today. "DO IT OUR WAY - IT WON'T HURT'. 'This has been a message from the Farm " Safety Association. WELDING AND MACHINE E SHOP CARRIES COMPLETE LINE OF: •V Pelts :4 Pulleys ,:•Nuts :&.Bolts , •Beariflgs lit Shafting ALSO: •Rollercliains 4. Sprockets r Driveline Components .*Hydraulic Hoses & Fittings *Repairs ,to .;I'T'C kE:luatun a Flame & P azma *Cutting mith Automatic Tracer Maclaine *,Repairs to "Hydraidic Cylinders Reg. .2"WAh ERTON