OFT recently provided feedback on the proposed Highway 413 project and the impacts it will have on farmland in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) if completed.
The GGH is the most populated and fastest-growing region in Canada, and while OFT acknowledges the transportation needs of this growing population, we would also like to stress the important role that farmland in the GGH will play in supporting this growing population long-term.
The proposed Highway 413 poses a major threat to farmland in the GGH. This highway will result in the loss of thousands of acres of prime agricultural land, including over 1000 acres of protected farmland in the Greenbelt. The loss of farmland from this project will result in fragmentation of the agricultural land base and a weakening of the provincial agricultural system.
As a result, OFT believes that Highway 413 will put farmland in the GGH at an unacceptable level of risk, and urges the Province to explore alternatives.
To read our full submission, click here. To read our other policy reviews, visit our Farmland Policy page.