• COVID-19

Agriculture and rural systems

We are reviewing and updating the agricultural and rural areas policies in the Regional Official Plan.

About agriculture system policies

Agriculture plays a significant role in:

• Providing access to healthy, locally grown food.
• Supporting Peel's economy.
• Maintaining Peel’s distinctive rural character.
• Protecting Peel's water resources and ecosystems.

In 2017, Provincial planning policy strengthened support for agriculture and incorporated an Agricultural System approach.

In 2018, the Province released agricultural land base mapping for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, implementing the Agricultural System approach and identifying Prime Agricultural Areas for protection.

The new Region of Peel Official Plan policies:

• update the Regional Official Plan to be consistent with Provincial policies;
• incorporate the Agricultural System approach, protecting agricultural land and supporting agriculture and the agri-food network;
• update the Prime Agricultural Area mapping in the Official Plan and incorporate it in a new Schedule D1 identifying it as a component of the Rural System;
• provide enhanced permissions for agriculture-related and on-farm diversified uses in Prime Agricultural Areas; and,
• enhance support for urban agriculture and access to affordable healthy and local food.

The proposed food and organic wastes policies included in the first draft of the Agricultural System policies have been moved to the Waste Management Section of the Plan.

About rural system policies

Rural Peel is important to Peel's economy, environmental health, sustainability and quality of life.

The new Region of Peel Official Plan policies:

• maintain the integrity and distinctive character of rural Peel;
• conserve rural Peel's natural environment and resources;
• promote healthy and complete communities;
• provide opportunities for compatible economic development;
• support the Agricultural System;
• direct growth to settlement areas and the Palgrave estate residential community;
• address water and sewage services, including private communal services;
• ensure that lot creation is consistent with Provincial and Regional policy and with good planning; and,
• introduce a new Schedule D1 showing the Rural System and its components.

Agriculture and Rural Systems Related Council & Committee Reports and Presentation

Updates on items related to the Agriculture and Rural Systems focus area were provided to Regional Council and the Planning and Growth Management Committee (PGMC) throughout 2021. These reports and presentations are provided for reference below:

• April 29, 2021- Agricultural and Rural systems policy direction and mapping

Supporting documents

• Agricultural and rural systems discussion paper (PDF)
• Agricultural mapping refinement methodology report (PDF)
• Urban agriculture discussion paper (PDF)
• Agricultural and rural systems fact sheet (PDF)

The following technical studies were conducted in partnership with the Town of Caledon and involved extensive stakeholder consultation:

• Edge planning for agriculture (2015) (PDF)
• Minimum distance separation (MDS) formulae and guidelines (2014) (PDF)
• Land evaluation and area review (2016) (PDF)

For more information, email Regional Planning or call 437-239-7516.