Ontario’s farmers are welcoming a regulatory change by the provincial government that will limit how municipalities apply stormwater fees, ensuring farms are not charged for services they do not use.
The change will remove municipal authority to impose stormwater fees and charges on portions of properties classified as farmland or managed forests, where those areas are not connected to a municipal storm sewer system.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and agricultural partners have been advocating for this change to help remove unnecessary costs burdens from farm businesses that limit growth and competitiveness.
“Farmers understand the importance of paying for the services they use, but they should not be burdened with costs for infrastructure they’re not connected to,” says OFA President Drew Spoelstra. “Farmers have been asking for this regulatory change to help level the playing field, support farm competitiveness and ensure our sector can continue to grow and invest in Ontario’s food system.”
The limit on municipal fees and charges powers will exempt portions of properties classified by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) as farm or managed forests. They typically include large areas of permeable land that naturally absorb rainfall and reduce runoff. In many cases, these properties are not connected to municipal stormwater infrastructure at all, meaning they place little to no demand on those systems.
“Farmers put in long hours to keep food on our tables and play a critical role in keeping our economy strong,” says Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “That is why we’re taking action and implementing practical solutions to cut out unfair costs so farmers aren’t paying for services they don’t use and can put their money into producing the food we eat.”
“This regulatory change protects Ontario’s farmers and agribusinesses by ensuring consistent, appropriate treatment of farms and managed forest lands across the province,” says Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Ontario’s agri-food sector is an economic powerhouse, and our government is committed to working with all levels of government to help the sector grow and be even more competitive.”
The regulation also clarifies what constitutes a connection. A property is considered connected where stormwater from that property is discharged through a storm sewer into a municipal system. Storm sewers include pipes, drains and related infrastructure used to collect and transport stormwater, but do not include agricultural drainage features such as ditches, culverts or works carried out under Ontario’s Drainage Act.
“This is about aligning costs with actual use; where farms are not connected to municipal systems, it makes sense that they should not be paying into infrastructure they don’t have access to or rely on,” says Mike Chromczak, Chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the province and municipalities to ensure stormwater policies are fair, transparent and reflective of the realities of farming across Ontario.”
Source : OFA