With farmland under pressure from urban expansion, conservation needs, and economic development, it raises the critical — and contentious — question: who should decide how land is used?
Private landowners’ rights are essential and rightfully expected in Canada, but there’s also an argument to be made that the public has a stake in land-use decisions when it comes to farmland preservation, food security, recreation, and environmental resilience.
This new Ag Policy Connection episodes dives into different examples and policy approaches that aim to answer the “who?” critical question, with three unique panelist perspectives:
– Bronwynne Wilton, principal at Wilton Consulting Group, sharing her municipal and provincial perspective, based near Guelph, Ontario*;
– Chad Lawley, agricultural economics professor at the University of Manitoba;
– Michael Champion, manager industry and government relations for the Prairie region with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
We get into why government must engage rural and Indigenous communities, the different incentives and market signals for landowners, and much more.
Whether you’re a farmer, policymaker, or simply concerned about the future of Canada’s agricultural landscape, listen/watch this episode below, on YouTube, or in any podcast player!
This is the fifth episode of Season 3 of the Ag Policy Connection, where we’re focusing on the future of farmland across Canada, as part of the Canadian Agri-Food Institute’s PLAN (Policies for Land use, Agriculture, and Nature) initiative.
*Note: This episode was recorded prior to the early provincial election call in Ontario. Bronwynne is currently running as the Green Party candidate for Wellington-Halton Hills.
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