Canada loses millions of hectares of farmland as cities expand
Canada farmland loss threatens food security as urban growth squeezes farms See how growers are protecting acres, easing access, and securing local food
Canada has lost more than two million hectares of farmland since 2016, according to the 2021 Census of Agriculture, raising new concerns about food security, land use, and the future of farming.
The article focuses on Wilmot Orchards near Toronto, where cofounder Charles Stevens rejected a $16 million offer for his land and placed a longterm easement on the property to keep it in food production. He and other farmers say productive farmland is being squeezed by urban expansion, higher land values, and development pressure.
Industry voices quoted in the story say the loss of farmland is making Canada’s food system less resilient and creating barriers for young farmers, many of whom face high land prices and limited access to ownership. The federal government’s new National Food Security Strategy and provincial efforts to limit foreign ownership are presented as part of the response to these trends.