Ford government votes down Vanthof’s bill to protect farmland

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Agriculture critic John Vanthof said it’s extremely concerning that Doug Ford’s Conservatives voted down an NDP bill to protect agricultural land from being rezoned.

The Conservatives’ refusal to support Vanthof’s proposal to preserve Ontario’s farmland, food security and green spaces comes as Ford’s government moves to carve up the Greenbelt.

“It’s extremely concerning but hardly surprising that this government voted against my bill, the Protecting Agricultural Land Act, which would have ensured that existing farmland in Ontario is protected and that the food security of Ontarians is made a priority,” Vantfhof said.

“Ford’s decision to pave over 7,000 acres of farmland in the Greenbelt on top of the 319.5 acres we already lose daily to development will only help developers get even richer. It’s tragic that the Premier is putting the interests of land speculators above the food security of Ontarians. Ford’s bulldozing of the Greenbelt will come at the expense of our province’s precious green space and the farmland Ontarians rely on to grow our food.”

Vanthof’s bill would have prevented land prescribed for agricultural uses from being rezoned and the uses of the land from being changed, unless it passes an Agricultural Impact Assessment.

“The NDP knows how precious Ontario’s farmland is, and we’ll keep fighting to protect it,” said Vanthof.