The act requires the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to develop a strategic action plan that aims to protect Ontario’s farmland and arable land from development, aggregate mining and the effects of fluctuating commodity prices and the availability of vacant land. The minister is required to engage in consultations when developing the strategy and must prepare a report setting out the strategy within nine months after the act receives royal assent.

The act also establishes the Farmland and Arable Land Advisory Committee, whose mandate is to provide advice and recommendations to the minister that aim to prevent further land degradation in order to protect farmland and arable land for generations to come and ensure short-term and long-term food security for Ontario.

Farmland and arable land is productive, valuable and essential, but most importantly, it is finite and non-renewable. This is an important consideration in the face of increasing pressure to develop housing in Ontario.

Mr. Vanthof moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr14, An Act to revive 1753461 Ontario Ltd.