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… Read More
Category: Land prices
The average value of Canadian farmland continued to climb in 2024, increasing by 9.3 per cent, less than the 11.5 per cent increase reported in 2023, according to the 2024 FCC Farmland Values Report. “The limited supply of farmland available for sale combined with lower borrowing costs resulted in an increase in the average price… Read More
What does it look like when rural development is viewed as finding ways to better serve the people that call rural areas home versus developing rural areas into cities? Too often, says Dr. Ashleigh Weeden, rural development policy fails to really consider what rural areas need more of and how to best support these projects,… Read More
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… Read More
Some parts of the country have seen more success protecting farmland than other regions, but when you add it up, Canada continues to lose an astonishing amount of farmland to urban expansion. The oft-cited statistic from the most recent Census of Agriculture is that Ontario alone loses an average of 319 acres of farmland every… Read More
Lower crop prices and sinking margins in 2024 pushed Southwestern Ontario farmland growth into negative territory for the first time in 14 years, according to an annual survey of farmland in the region. Ryan Parker, partner and agricultural appraiser at London-based Valco Consultants, says a 1.43 per cent drop in farmland prices across the region… Read More
Southwestern Ontario is home to some of Canada’s most productive farmland, and a “perfect storm” of low interest rates, stretches of high commodity prices and relatively good weather have driven farmland prices to dizzying heights in the region. Ryan Parker from London, Ont.- based Valco Real Estate Appraisers & Consultants, which produces an annual survey… Read More
Across much of Canada, there have traditionally been very few options for landowners to get paid for the overall value created by land conservation. Whether it’s grassland, farmland, or a different form of natural habitat, the broader societal benefits of that land often go unrecognized. Instead, land is converted, sold, and developed for uses that… Read More
Investing in farmland has been a very secure investment over the past twenty-five-plus years. Many times over that period, people have speculated on the demise of Canadian farmland’s value or its ability to keep pace and increase in value like it has historically. In October of 2024, the RealAgristudies Insights Panel weighed in, with 36… Read More
In Episode 15 of The Truth About Ag Podcast, Kristjan Hebert and Evan Shout dive into the complex world of land management and expansion with Darrel Monette of Monette Farms. Known for its impressive —and sometimes controversial— growth over the past 15 years, Monette Farms has become a force across multiple regions. Darrel shares hard-won… Read More