2 MPPs want to create foodbelt to protect farmland, tariff-proof Ontario's agricultural industry

Kate Bueckert · CBC News

· Posted: May 14, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Two MPPs accidental Ontario needs to make a foodbelt to support farmland and assistance the province's cultivation manufacture past immoderate U.S. tariffs.

Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner and MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, the autarkic MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk, person co-written a backstage member's measure that they presented astatine Queen's Park connected Tuesday.

"Now, much than ever, is the clip to support our farmland, enactment farmers and turn much nutrient close present successful Ontario. Because nutrient information is nationalist security, and without farmland determination are nary farms, nary food, nary future," Schreiner said successful a property conference.

Brady said the contented is "near and beloved to my heart" and to the radical she represents.

"Haldimand and Norfolk counties are location to galore workplace families who not lone lend importantly to the section economies, but the Canadian economy. This holds existent for each cultivation portion successful this province," Brady said.

If passed, the measure would make a task unit of farmers, cultivation experts and land-use planners to make recommendations to make a foodbelt extortion plan. The study would code issues similar improving ungraded wellness and protecting farmland.

Schreiner said the state loses farmland to developments, mining and road projects. He said authorities similar Bill 5, the projected Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, could encroach further onto farmers' fields.

Bill 5 would let the state to make peculiar economical zones and would let the state to marque changes to respective laws including the Endangered Species Act, Electricity Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Protection Act, Mining Act, Ontario Heritage Act, and Species Conservation Act.

Critics person argued Bill 5 would springiness the authorities powerfulness to propulsion done definite projects similar a passageway nether Highway 401 oregon mineral mining successful bluish Ontario, with small resistance. Premier Doug Ford has said the caller laws would assistance Ontario economically, successful peculiar mentioning mining minerals.

"We tin beryllium the wealthiest, richest, astir prosperous sub-sovereign federation anyplace successful the satellite if we get those captious minerals retired of the ground," Ford said connected May 6.

CBC K-W reached retired to Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Minister Trevor Jones' bureau for remark connected Schreiner and Brady's measure but did not person a response.

Soil 'can't beryllium made erstwhile you destruct it'

Mark Reusser, vice-president of Waterloo Federation of Agriculture and a manager with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said the projected measure is thing farmers crossed the state person been calling for implicit the years. 

Specifically successful confederate Ontario, helium noted it's a "very peculiar place" with a clime that allows a ample assortment of items to beryllium raised and grown.

"We tin turn a longer database of fruits, vegetables, grains and livestock than anyplace other successful North America, with the objection of California," helium said. "Soils are a strategical assets that can't beryllium made erstwhile you destruct it."

Dave Kranenburg, treasurer and director-at-large with the National Farmers Union for Ontario, said his enactment was "ecstatic" to spot the legislation.

"As I was leaving my workplace this greeting aft planting successful the beforehand tract and planting trees, 1 of the things that I'm perpetually funny astir and acrophobic astir is whether oregon not these trees that are being planted, are they going to beryllium determination successful 20 years?" helium said.

"Do I person to interest astir the improvement encroaching connected this farmland? We're investing a batch of our time, our energy, our resources and protecting the soil, the h2o astir america and to turn nutrient for our neighbours and I privation to cognize that it's going to beryllium determination successful 20 years astatine the hard enactment contiguous is going to spot fruition."