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Home , Golden Horseshoe

Agriculture Farmland: a finite, non-renewable resource

Photo Credit: Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation Our Best Farmland Needs Greater Golden

G e o r g i a n B a y Horseshoe Agriculture

• Farmers in the GGH produce about 200 CITY OF CITY OF KAWARTHA L a k e H u r o n COUNTY OF different commodities, including fruits and COUNTY OF LAKES PETERBOROUGH SIMCOE vegetables, grains, meat and dairy products, and non-food items like flowers and sod.

L a k e CITY OF CITY OF COUNTY OF S i m c o e COUNTY OF PETERBOROUGH BRUCE • In 2013, agriculture in the GGH contributed GREY $3.6 billion in farm cash receipts and employed REGION OF Provincial Plans DURHAM almost 42,000 people. COUNTY OF NORTHUMBERLAND The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden COUNTY OF REGION • In 2013, Ontario’s agri-food sector contributed DUFFERIN OF YORK Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges almost $35 billion to the GDP and supported Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara REGION OF more than 750,000 jobs. PEEL Escarpment Plan work together to: COUNTY OF WELLINGTON CITY OF • Farmers are excellent stewards of the soil, water • Direct urban growth to existing settlement areas. and air. REGION OF CITY OF WATERLOO L a k e O n t a r i o • Protect farmland from loss and fragmentation. REGION OF HALTON LEGEND • In 2013, Premier Wynne issued the Agri-Food Provincial Specialty Crop Areas Growth Challenge to double the sector’s annual Municipal Specialty Crop Areas The Greenbelt Plan protects an Agricultural CITY OF HAMILTON Prime Agricultural Lands (Class 1-3 soils) growth rate and create 120,000 new jobs by comprised of Specialty Crop Areas, Prime Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe System CITY OF Greenbelt Area* 2020. Agricultural Areas and Rural Areas. Specialty Crop Settlement Areas First Nation Reserves Areas are afforded the highest level of protection, COUNTY (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) OF BRANT Projection: NAD83 UTM 17N followed by Prime Agricultural Areas. REGION OF Data Sources: Ministry of Natural Resources and HALDIMAND NIAGARA Forestry, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing COUNTY * Ontario Regulation 59/05, as amended This map is provided for information purposes only.

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This map was created to provide a broad sense of relevant geographical features and L a k e E r i e should not be relied on at a precise scale. For more information, please contact the KM ¯ Farming in the Region Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the relevant municipality. • 28% of Ontario’s farmland is in the Greater Farmland Loss in the Region Golden Horseshoe (GGH). It is home to over • In 35 years, over 40,000 hectares of Specialty Crop Areas, 340,000 hectares • By 2041, the region’s population is including the Tender Fruit of farmland – an area the size of Peel expected to grow by close to 50% with and Grape Area and the Holland Marsh. Region, Halton Region and the City of almost 13.5 million people living in the Hamilton combined – was lost to other 19% GGH. This growth puts pressure on Loss • The GGH contains a large portion of ’s uses. farmland, but also increases demand most productive farmland. It has fertile soil, a for local food. favourable climate and easy access to water. • Since 2006, over 65,000 hectares of farmland – an area larger than the • Good growth management is vital to 1976-2011 protecting our agricultural land so that we (, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) City of Toronto – was lost. can manage it as a sustainable resource.

(Statistics Canada Census of Agriculture, 1976-2011) View the public notice at ontario.ca/ebr (Registry # 012-3256). ontario.ca/landuseplanningreview • 1-800-665-1120 • [email protected]

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