Ontario Municipal Board Decision Paves Way for Farmland Loss

Mar 01, 2013

Christian Farmers of Ontario Disappointed with OMB Decision

Loss of farmland due to urban sprawl is a public policy issue that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. One of the Ontario’s general farm organizations, the Christian Farmers of Ontario (CFFO) finds the most recent decision made by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) to alter the planned development for the Region of Waterloo a setback for farmland preservation.

As strong advocates for the importance of farmland preservation, CFFO has been active in arguing that the importance of preserving prime farmland outweighs the value of building subdivisions. While the Region of Waterloo has embraced the goals outlined in the Places to Grow Act, which is aimed at encouraging redevelopment and intensification in city development within the Greater Golden Horseshoe area, the OBM has ruled in favour of developers.

The Region of Waterloo wanted to limit new subdivisions to 80 hectors of land, while the OMB ruled in favour of developers who wanted 1000 hectors. Now that the OMB has made its decision the region, landowners and developers will go into negotiations as to where this new development will occur. The CFFO says in this week’s commentary that this decision is only one of three decisions that they fear will serve as a precedent for other cities and developers throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

The CFFO finds the decision even more troubling given that the Region of Waterloo was working towards limiting urban sprawl and that their elected council had been working with the public and made efforts to meet the goals presenting the Placed to Grow Act. The CFFO commends the Region of Waterloo for their efforts and says that new policy options are needed to protect farmland as a valuable asset in the long-term.

Video: Farmers: Stop Letting Risk Steal Your Profit — These New Insurance Tools Change the Game

Volatile markets. Unpredictable weather. Tight margins. Farming has never carried more risk—but now, you have smarter ways to protect your operation.
In this interview, Chris Corbett, Sales Manager at AGi3, breaks down a new generation of insurance solutions built specifically for today’s farm businesses: ForwardProtect — Protect your grain operation from the double hit of yield shortfalls and rising prices when forward contracts can’t be filled.
AgriEnhance — Take control of your crop risk plan with flexible yield coverage and whole-farm revenue protection tailored to your operation.
FarmElevate — A modern approach to farm insurance, combining deep ag expertise with advanced technology to protect your property, equipment, and liability.
These aren’t traditional policies—they’re strategic tools designed to protect your margins, stabilize cash flow, and give you confidence in uncertain markets.
If you’re serious about managing risk and protecting your bottom line, this is a must-watch.