Ontario losing farmland at fast rate amid urban sprawl, new data suggests

Dairy cows are shown in a barn on a farm in Eastern Ontario on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

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.

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.

(The Canadian Press)