Move over, Greenbelt, the Foodbelt has entered the chat.
Ontario is losing farmland at an alarming rate of about 319 acres a day, according to provincial data. That’s equivalent to losing an area the size of Kingston every year, says Mike Schreiner, leader of the Ontario Green Party and MPP for Guelph. Losing farmland risks our food sovereignty and food security, says Schreiner, and threatens the livelihood of farmers and ranchers.
In an effort to preserve not just farmland but food production in the province, Schreiner has co-sponsored a private member’s bill aimed at preserving agricultural land through the creation of what he calls a “foodbelt.”
Co-sponsored with independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady (Haldimand–Norfolk), the bill proposes the formation of a farmer-led task force to develop criteria for protecting farmland across the province. Schreiner says the idea emerged from conversations with farmers who were inspired by the public's defence of the Greenbelt. “They said, ‘We need something that creates the same emotional connection—something like a food belt,’” Schreiner says.
Unlike the Greenbelt, which is geographically defined, the foodbelt concept is more functional, focusing on preserving the agricultural ecosystem: continuous stretches of farmland, equipment access, water availability, and infrastructure for production, processing, and distribution. “We need to make sure farmers can get equipment between fields, that they have access to input suppliers and post-harvest handling,” Schreiner says.
The bill has gained early traction, securing support from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, the National Farmers Union, and the Ontario Farmland Trust. Schreiner says his goal over the next year—before the bill comes up for debate—is to continue building broad-based support across sectors.
He also notes a shift in the rural political landscape. While rural Ontario has traditionally leaned Conservative, Schreiner observed more engagement from the agricultural community in the most recent provincial election. “A lot of farmers told me we were the only party consistently talking about agriculture, about farmland preservation, food security, and rural infrastructure.”
The bill’s future remains uncertain, as private member’s bills often face uphill battles in the legislature. But Schreiner is optimistic: “I’ve passed three private member’s bills already. If it’s a good idea and you build support, it can be done.”
