Norfolk County council is seeking a clearer picture of farmland across the municipality.
At a recent council meeting, Mayor Amy Martin put forward a motion directing staff to report back on agricultural land in Norfolk County, including:
Comparisons of Statistics Canada farmland data with figures from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
Land holdings by conservation organizations and other non-governmental groups
Cannabis production acreage in the county
An overview of tax ratio policies to clarify differences between rural and urban lands
The motion comes after a local farmer Frank Schonberger gave a deputation on Bill 21, a private member’s bill proposed by Independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.
The legislation would establish a “Foodbelt Protection Plan” to preserve Ontario’s most productive farmland and require Agricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) for certain developments.
Schonberger emphasized that while farmland protection is important, Norfolk County already has multiple safeguards, including the Greenbelt, the Planning Act, and conservation easements and raised concerns that a Foodbelt designation could create additional red tape and costly assessments for small farms, potentially affecting operations such as Christmas tree farms, wineries, horse farms, and other non-food agricultural activities.
Schonberger also highlighted that farmland “loss” in the county may be overstated, noting that significant acreage has been placed under conservation by organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Long Point Basin Land Trust, and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
He said that while Statistics Canada reports reductions in farmland, MPAC data and local records show that much of this land remains in agricultural use, rented back to farmers, or preserved for conservation purposes.
Council members agreed that a full report would help clarify the current state of Norfolk’s farmland, including the impact of development, conservation, and emerging sectors like cannabis production.
The information will also cover how rural lands are taxed compared to other land types, providing council with context for future decisions.
In response, MPP Bobbi Ann Brady took to social media to defend her efforts, saying the presentation did not reflect the independent research behind Bill 21.
Brady questioned the accuracy of the deputation’s claims, noting that Bill 21 is grounded in the two-year Senate report Critical Ground, which involved Senator Rob Black and 150 expert witnesses studying Canada’s soil.
She added that the legislation is about safeguarding Ontario’s most productive land for agricultural purposes — food, flowers, and legal crops like tobacco — and ensuring long-term food security and responsible land-use planning across the province, not just Norfolk County.
The report is expected to be presented at a future council meeting, giving members the data they need to balance agricultural protection with community growth and economic development.