The Rural Voice, 2004-08, Page 22Alternative Action
Sonne of rural Ontario's top leaders come together
to look at alternatives to urban sprawl, including
a Farmland Trust
Story and photos by Jeffrey Carter
One of the solutions proposed at the Guelph meeting is the Ontario Farmland
Trust. Named to the board of directors on June 28 were: (front from left)
Jackie Fraser and Browynne Wilson; (centre) Stew Hilts, Dan Breen, Elbert
van Donkersgoed, Nancy Walther, and Harry Brander; (back) Don Prince, Bill
Salmon, Henry Stevens, Rodger Cummins, and Terry Daynard. Missing are
Teressa Gibson and Bruce Flattery.
There are alternatives to urban
sprawl. The population of
cities and towns can grow
without the surrounding rural areas
being paved over.
Those alternatives were explored at
the Farmland Preservation
Conference, June 27 to 28, at the
University of Guelph. The timing is
apt. Ontario's government under
Premier Dalton McGuinty has made
land -use issues a priority.
"I've heard it said that the most
sweeping changes to hit provincial
land -use policy and agriculture in 40
years are coming," said University of
Guelph professor Stewart Hilts who
18 THE RURAL VOICE
opened the conference.
The role agriculture will play in the
next 50 to 100 years is being decided
now, the land resource specialist said.
The Greenbelt Task Force is
currently examining expected
impacts the Greater Toronto Area's
rising population will have on the
surrounding rural areas.
"There are predictions the GTA
will grow by another 3.5 million
people by 2031," said Maria Van
Bommel, a farmer and parliamentary
assistant to Ontario's agriculture
minister, Steve Peters.
"Viability and sustainability are
more than about just protecting
farmland. There has to be economic
sustainability for the farmers, as
well."
Former CFFO president Bob
Bedggood and former Canadian
agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief
were named to a subcommittee of the
Greenbelt Task Force to help address
agricultural issues. One of the stated
goals of the task force is to "preserve
viable agricultural land as a
continuing commercial source of
food and employment."
There are different views of what's
viable in agriculture.
OAC Dean Craig Pearson sees
opportunities for farmers who are
close to, or part of, urban centres.
Niche markets and direct- to -
consumer sales are possibilities. In
addition, farmers who have a close
relationship to city dwellers can act
as agricultural ambassadors. Pearson
even suggested that a rural landscape
might be developed to serve both
agricultural needs and the
recreational needs of urbanites.
"I think we have a window of
opportunity ... It's not going to stay
open long . . . What sort of
landscape, what sort of lifestyle do
we want for our grandchildren?"
Pearson asked.
In contrast to Pearson, the president
of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture focussed on concerns
that arise when cities sprawl across
rural landscapes.
Ron Bonnett said there's a need for
better planning to reduce the sprawl
and, when it comes to agriculture,
protecting farmland in the midst of
urban development may not make
sense.
"We do feel farmland must be
protected, but we need to focus on
those areas where the agricultural
infrastructure is still in place."
In addition, Bonnett questioned the
fairness of government incentives to
help develop niche markets near
urban centres. That may skew the
economics for other farmers already
involved in that type of business.
Farmland preservation measures may
also lower land prices, reducing
equity position of affected farmers,
he said.
Land -use specialists from across
North America and around the world
attended the Guelph conference.
They heard from speakers who talked