The Road to 2051: Agriculture in the White Belt
In 30 years, what could agriculture in the Town of Caledon look like? In the context of rapid growth and development in Peel Region, Caledon has maintained its farmland resource and rural charm. Looking forward to 2051, the Town’s population is expected to increase by almost 500%. How can the Town accommodate such a significant rise in population, while also preserving its precious agricultural land base and enabling the agricultural sector to thrive?
At the heart of this issue is the fact that the majority of the prime farmland in Caledon is located in the Provincial ‘white belt’, designated in the Provincial ‘A Place to Grow’ plan for the Greater Horseshoe.[1] The white belt is the unofficial term for the agricultural area located between the Urban Growth Boundary and the Greenbelt. While this land has some protection from urban development (the Prime Agricultural Land designation adds some protections at the provincial and regional level), its exclusion from the Greenbelt means its long-term future is precarious. Much of the white belt has been purchased by developers or other private sector speculators in anticipation of a time when it can become available for residential development or other non-agricultural uses.
The Town of Caledon is in the process of reviewing its Official Plan. As with any plan, the Town must consider many different interests such as population growth, economic development, environmental protection and agriculture, to name a few. To help inform agricultural interests and policies, the Town partnered with our team at Wilton Consulting Group to produce a long-term agricultural trends study with a view to 2051.
Our team considered broad trends across agriculture as well as in the Caledon context, and found that agriculture in Caledon can have a long prosperous future. Despite the challenges of proximity to a growing urban centre, there are many opportunities that farms in Caledon can capitalize on. The recent experience with the COVID-19 Pandemic, for example, has shown that people are interested in purchasing local food. Consequently, local food production is vastly important to peoples’ health and well-being.
“The ability to produce and purchase locally grown food can contribute to pride of place, improve local food security, and support economic growth”
There is also a growing interest in local rural tourism.[2] A 45-minute drive from downtown Toronto, farms in Caledon have a significant opportunity to attract a massive nearby market that is increasingly interested in connecting with where their food is grown.[3] Further, the equestrian sector in Caledon can continue to grow and attract visitors from urban areas. The equestrian sector can have significant economic multiplier effects throughout the local economy.
In 30 years, what could agriculture in Caledon look like? Compromises will be necessary to accommodate significant population growth and other interests. However, the Town now has the opportunity to strengthen farmland preservation and enact policies to capitalize on agriculture’s incredible potential in Caledon. The next 30 years will be fascinating to watch.
[1] Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing. (2019). A place to grow: Growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Government of Ontario. Retrieved from https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-greater-golden-horseshoe-place-to-grow-english-15may2019.pdf
[2] Invest in Ontario. (n.d.). Tourism. Retrieved from: https://www.investinontario.com/tourism#domestic
[3] Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (2019) Canadian Centre for Food Integrity 2019 Public Trust Research.