The Story

Once farmland is paved over,
it’s gone forever.

175 acres of farmland is being lost to urban development every day.

Whether you are talking about your morning toast, an apple in your lunch or grilled chicken for dinner, it all comes from Ontario farmland.

We get it – urban development matters. But where our food comes from matters too. Not to mention, we’re competing globally for PPE and vaccines. Do we want to do the same with our food?

Once farmland is paved over,
it’s gone forever.

175 acres of farmland is being lost to urban development every day.

Whether you are talking about your morning toast, an apple in your lunch or grilled chicken for dinner, it all comes from Ontario farmland.

We get it – urban development matters. But where our food comes from matters too. Not to mention, we’re competing globally for PPE and vaccines. Do we want to do the same with our food?

What kind of food and farms
are we talking about?

Ontario farmers do a lot with a little.

~5%

of land in the province can actually produce food.

200+

different fruits, vegetables, grains and livestock are grown or raised right here at home.

The land that supports this food production is a finite resource. It needs to be protected now.

Local food production really matters.

It’s safe, sustainable and protects vital creatures like bees and wildlife from losing habitats we share.

But how does urban development impact all of this?

Once a farm is turned into a shopping centre, or warehouse, or subdivision, it will never produce food again. Cities need to grow. We get that. But it’s time planners and developers started looking in and up before they look out.

Significant wetlands, key shorelines and forests are threatened by the urbanization pressures we’re facing that encourage sprawl. We need to ensure the highest level of protection for our landscapes and water before we lose it to over-development.

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Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders Minister’s Zoning Orders

How did we get to this point?

The government has a big say over where and how urban development happens. MZOs (Minister’s Zoning Orders) exacerbate the problem, bypassing long-standing processes intended to protect farmland.

MZOs are being used today more than ever.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, an MZO has been used 6 times to rezone farmland for urban use. This is added pressure Ontario farmers simply don’t need.

Our

environment.

farms.

food.

health.

environment.

wildlife.

future.

They’re all connected.

“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.”

– Will Rodgers

So, what can be done?

The answer is quite straightforward. We need to ensure we have the land to grow food for today and for future generations.

1

Protect the finite resource where our food grows.

2

Have people like you join our community to help protect our food sources.

MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN

The Story

Once farmland is paved over,it’s gone forever.

Once farmland is paved over,it’s gone forever.

What kind of food and farmsare we talking about?

~5%

200+

Local food production really matters.

But how does urban development impact all of this?

How did we get to this point?

Our

“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.”

So, what can be done?

1

2

Once farmland is paved over,
it’s gone forever.

Once farmland is paved over,
it’s gone forever.

What kind of food and farms
are we talking about?