OFA provides comments to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regarding a proposed “New regulation to focus environmental assessment requirements”.
OFA’s position is that all proposed projects, whether subject to the new regulation or not, must berequired to complete an Agricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) if the project has the potential to impact agricultural lands, activities, or systems. An AIA is a critical tool that is used to evaluate the potential impacts of non-agricultural development on agricultural operations and the agricultural system, and recommends ways to avoid or, if avoidance is not possible, minimize and mitigate adverse impacts.
OFA also believes that there must be opportunities for potentially impacted landowners to raise concerns and a requirement for the project proponents to respond to these concerns.
Previous related OFA submissions:
May 9, 2023 – OFA submission regarding proposal to move to a project list approach under the Environmental Assessment Act (ERO # 019-4219)
March 24, 2023 – Waiving or altering the 30-day Waiting Period for Class-Environmental Assessment Projects (ERO # 019-6516 / #23-MECP004)
July 4, 2022 – OFA submission to the Honourable Lisa Thompson regarding the Agricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) Guidance Document – July 11, 2022