2 MPPs have proposed an Ontario foodbelt. Could it help tariff-proof the ag sector?

Two MPPs have put forward the idea of creating a "foodbelt" in Ontario to protect farmland and help tariff-proof the agricultural sector in the province.

The idea proposed by Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner and independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady, who represents Haldimand-Norfolk, this week at Queen's Park would see a protected area, similar to how the Greenbelt works, but in this case it would be specifically for farmers' fields. Bill 21, Protect Our Food Act, passed first reading on Tuesday.

It's an idea Erin Shapero and Valerie Burke applaud. The two women proposed a similar idea in 2009 when they were city councillors in Markham and they wanted to protect farmland from developers.

"At the time we had Ontario's Greenbelt, which was very popular and very successful, protecting a lot of farmland, protecting a lot of naturally sensitive areas, but a lot of farmland was left out of that," Shapero told CBC News.

Shapero, who was also a member of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, says they spoke to academics and people in the agricultural community to develop their motion for the Markham foodbelt.

"We proposed Canada's first foodbelt, that we actually have a protected area for growing food and ensuring that we have food for the future going forward," she said.

After intensive public consultation on the idea, their motion was defeated 7-6.

"It was quite devastating," Burke said, noting the farmland they wanted to save has been developed and used for housing and other buildings in the 15 years since then.

Fast forward 15 years and Shapero and Burke say they were delighted to hear Schreiner and Brady bringing up the idea again.

"We need more politicians like them. They have such foresight and I was really pleased to see they're doing it," Burke said.

"Maybe we were ahead of our time in 2009 in Markham when we called for this and we called for Canada's first foodbelt to be created," Shapero added.

"But today, looking at it from the lens of 2025, food security is critical for our economy and the agricultural sector is critical for our economy."

Schreiner says the foodbelt is needed because Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland a day, a figure the Ontario Federation of Agriculture has also reported using data from the May 2022 census of agriculture completed by Statistics Canada.

"At a time when [U.S. President Donald] Trump is attacking our sovereignty and our economy with these ridiculous trade threats, now more than ever we need to protect the farmland that feeds us," Schreiner said in an interview on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris.

LISTEN | Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner co-writes 'foodbelt' bill to protect Ontario farmland:

The private members' bill would create a task force led by farmers, agricultural experts and land planners to determine what lands need to be protected by a foodbelt.

Brady's riding is largely agricultural, growing everything from berries to tobacco to peanuts to pumpkins.

Haldimand County's website says the municipality has approximately 208,653 acres of farmland across 811 farms while a 2018 report from Norfolk County's Economic Development office says that municipality has 196,403 acres across 1,307 farms.

Brady said during a press conference about the private members' bill that the issue of protecting farmland is "near and dear to my heart" and to the people she represents.

"We have seen the response from governments when it comes to manufacturing as it stares down the threats from the south. It's time we do the same for agriculture," she said.

Mike Von Massow is the Ontario Agricultural College chair in food system leadership and a professor of food agriculture and resource economics at the University of Guelph. He says in general, "the concept of land preservation is a good idea."

"Whether we explicitly say this land can never be developed or we develop a set of criteria that says how we prioritize and at least evaluate more fulsomely whether this land should be developed, there are clearly trade-offs and we want as much as we can to maintain farmland," Von Massow said in an interview.

"Perhaps we prioritize developing on less productive land because we can't just freeze everything."

But he said when looking at the Greenbelt, the boundaries have been changed over the years and there are those who want to develop it.

"There's always been this tension between development of land and some governments have been much more willing to say, well, we'll take this land out of production," he said from his farm near Elora, Ont.

"I'm looking out my front window and the piece of land across the street from me for the last 30 years has been a farm field. It's now growing houses. But we need some development. So being clear on what the criteria is is probably the best path forward," Von Massow said.

LISTEN | Does Ontario need a foodbelt? Guelph prof weighs in:

Schreiner has argued the foodbelt would also "tariff-proof" the province's farmers.

"Now, more than ever, is the time to protect our farmland, support farmers and grow more food right here in Ontario. Because food security is national security, and without farmland there are no farms, no food, no future," Schreiner said in the news conference announcing the bill.

"And I believe that tariff-proofing Ontario's economy starts with protecting the farmland that feeds us and the farmers who grow that food."

But when asked if he agreed, Von Massow paused.

"I'm not sure, frankly, that tariffs are going to be a significant threat to Canada to land use," he said.

"I think this blanket statement that it will tariff proof agriculture is probably a little bit leveraging the issue of the moment," he added.

"That's not to diminish the value of thinking about land preservation, but I'm not sure that unless we're talking about specific tariffs and specific issues that this will make a significant difference."

The bill has received support from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the National Farmers Union for Ontario. Both groups has representatives who stood beside Schreiner and Brady at Tuesday's press conference.

Mark Reusser, vice-president of Waterloo Federation of Agriculture and a director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said the proposed bill is something farmers across the province have been calling for over the years.

Specifically in southern Ontario, he noted it's a "very special place" with a climate that allows a large variety of items to be raised and grown.

Dave Kranenburg, treasurer and director-at-large with the National Farmers Union for Ontario, said his organization was "ecstatic" to see the legislation.

CBC News asked Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Minister Trevor Jones whether the foodbelt idea was one he would support.

In an emailed response, Jones did not address the foodbelt bill directly, but said the provincial government "will always stand up for Ontario's world-class farmers and protect our farmlands."

Shapero and Burke say they know private members' bills from opposition parties don't always do well at Queen's Park, but they hope the provincial government will give the proposal another look.

"You need to accommodate growth. That's a given, but not at the expense of Class A farmland. I mean, we have some of the best farmland in the whole world. We have the best soil conditions, the climatic conditions, all of that," Burke said. "Once you destroy it, it's gone."

Shapero agrees soil should be given a lot more credit for its impact on Ontario's economy.

"We talk about oil and critical minerals as key to our economy, but soils that can grow almost anything, that's a critical resource too," Shapero said.

"It's something we need to shift our thinking around and see that food systems and food supply are key to making Canada work. Our ability to feed ourselves, this is something that's really, I think, top of mind for people and this is really an idea whose time has come."