Every day, Ontario is losing an average of 319 acres of productive farmland.
Whether you are talking about your morning toast, an apple in your lunch or grilled chicken for dinner, it all comes from Ontario farmland.
Just like our ecosystems, our food is communal.
It brings families together for the holidays.
It brings friends together for special occasions.
It brings couples together for romantic dates.
It starts new friendships and reinforces existing ones.
Ontario is a big place, and it seems like there's a lot of land available to grow food. But consider this...
It's safe, sustainable and protects vital creatures like bees and wildlife from losing critical habitats we share.
Once a farm is turned into a shopping centre, or warehouse, or subdivision, it will never produce food again. Urban sprawl is more than just housing.
Cities need to grow. We get that. But it's time planners and developers started looking in and up before they look out. We can have more housing AND more farmland.
Build smart, not sprawl.
We've seen how supply chain shocks and delays have affected the price and availability of everyday goods that our families rely on. These same supply chain shocks and delays have resulted in the worst inflation Ontario has seen in more than three decades.
The pandemic has emphasized the importance of local production across many sectors of our economy. Imagine it stays this way when Ontario is forced to look out-of-province for food.
This will create permanent inflation.
Across Ontario, food prices are up ...
Here's how much grocery prices are up.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Vegetables
Meat
Bread
The land that supports our local food production is a finite resource. As urban sprawl continues to pave over those precious acres and build outward, we will increasingly be forced to import the food we enjoy, the food that brings us together.
The meals that are staples of our traditions, cultures, and gatherings. The things that define Ontario.
environment.
farms.
food.
health.
environment.
wildlife.
future.
They're all connected.
- Will Rodgers
The answer is quite straightforward. We need to ensure we have the land to grow food for today and for future generations.
Protect the finite resource where our food grows.
Have people like you join our community to help protect our food sources.