OFA provided comments to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding their consultation on the consideration of transition of land use planning matters to facilitate the introduction of a new policy statement issued under the Planning Act.

OFA raised its continued concerns related to the transition from the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) to the new Provincial Policy Statement (2024). OFA remains adamant that the best use of Prime Agricultural Areas is farming; transitionary regulations and policies will be an important part of how the province discourages the encroachment of development into rural and agricultural areas before Guidance Documents come into effect.

Through this submission, OFA puts forth a number of specific recommendations all aimed at the goals to encourage:

• Non-agricultural uses to be re-directed away from the Agricultural System;
• Municipalities to strive for compact built forms in their urban spaces; and
• Effective and meaningful consultation for local planning matters.