Agricultural mapping (In Progress)

Northumberland County is currently reviewing and updating maps and policies related to agricultural land in Northumberland County’s Official Plan. Share your feedback as we protect and preserve Northumberland's thriving agricultural landscape.

Public consultation process

In June/July 2022, Northumberland County launched the consultation process for the agricultural mapping amendment with in-person open houses across the County and an online public review and comment period.

Feedback from these consultations will be considered in the development of the final report.

What is agricultural mapping?

Northumberland County is known for having a thriving agricultural community and high-quality farmland, with over 31% of land in the County currently designated as protected agricultural land.

As part of the Northumberland Next initiative, Northumberland County is reviewing and updating mapping and policies in the County's Official Plan to ensure this vital system of agricultural land remains protected for future generations.

This amendment will result in updates to the Northumberland County Official Plan, including mapping and policy updates that will increase the amount of protected agricultural land in Northumberland, and will support the collective well-being of the agriculture economy by:

  • Identifying the best areas for agricultural production within Northumberland County
  • Preserving our local agricultural land base for food production to meet the province's long-term needs by aligning our local mapping with the Provincial Growth Plan and Agricultural Land Base for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
  • Introducing/updating land use policies to ensure agricultural uses can continue, now and into the future

What is the Agricultural System?

The agricultural system is a defined term in the Provincial Policy Statement (2020) which provides policy direction to municipalities across the province. The province has developed a methodology for identifying and classifying lands as part of an agricultural system to ensure consistency, clarity, and standardization across the province.

The Provincial Policy Statement (2020) defines the Agricultural System as a system comprised of a group of inter-connected elements that collectively create a viable, thriving agricultural sector. It has two components:

  • An agricultural land base comprised of prime agricultural areas, including specialty crop areas, and rural lands that together create a continuous productive land base for agriculture; and
  • An agri-food network which includes infrastructure, services, and assets important to the viability of the agri-food sector.

Planning authorities are encouraged to use an agricultural system approach to maintain and enhance the geographic continuity of the agricultural land base and the functional and economic connections to the agri-food network.

What is the Growth Plan?

The Growth Plan is a provincial mapping system released in 2018, that includes a continuous and productive land base comprised of prime agricultural areas, including specialty crop areas and rural lands, as well as a complementary agri-food network that together enable the agri-food sector to thrive.

This plan is provided by the province with the intent to implement the recommended updates in the County's Official Plan; however, before the provincial mapping is implemented, the province allows an opportunity to refine the suggested mapping during a Municipal Comprehensive Review.

How does the County review mapping updates?

One of the components of the County's Municipal Comprehensive Review is a review of the location of the prime agricultural area in the County. According to the Provincial Growth Plan, prime agricultural areas are areas where Class 1, 2 and 3 prime agricultural lands predominate and includes associated Class 4 through 7 lands, and additional areas where there is a local concentration of farms that exhibit characteristics of ongoing agriculture.

The County's Official Plan identifies current prime agricultural areas, using areas defined in our local municipal Official Plans. Project consultants have developed mapping that compares the provincial and County's Official Plan mapping of prime agricultural areas and have determined that a considerable amount of additional land throughout the County has been identified as being within a prime agricultural area by the province.

Soil review

DBH Soil Services Inc. completed a review of the provincial agricultural land mapping. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping was received from the province and County, which included soils data, municipal boundaries, road networks, Official Plan land designations, etc. DBH Soil Services Inc. determined that some lands require additional review and assessment to determine appropriate soil classifications.

Learn more

For information about the proposed agriculture mapping updates, please visit our in-person open houses or view the PDF maps available in the Documents tab.

The Provincial Agricultural Land Base maps indicate land areas in Northumberland that are proposed to be designated as 'Prime Agricultural Land' in accordance with the Province's Agricultural Land Base for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, as well as Candidate areas that are proposed by the Province for consideration as 'Prime Agricultural Land' designations.

The Provincial and County Prime Agricultural Land Base Comparison Maps compare the recommended provincial Agricultural Land Base mapping with the agricultural mapping that is currently implemented in the County's Official Plan.

For more information about how these land designations were determined, please review our Prime Agricultural Mapping Process Overview or review our example of the agricultural mapping process.

Project timelines

Completed

June/July 2022

  • Open houses in Campbellford, Colborne and Port Hope regarding updates to agriculture mapping and policies in the County Official Plan.
  • Launched online review process of proposed mapping and policy updates.

Next steps

  • Complete full amendment report and present to the public for feedback.
  • Present final recommendations for agriculture mapping and policies to County Council for adoption.
  • Submit the amendment to the Province for approval and implementation.

News updates

2022

Supporting documents

Background information

Provincial Agricultural Land Base maps

The Provincial Agricultural Land Base maps indicate land areas in Northumberland that are proposed to be designated as 'Prime Agricultural Land' in accordance with the Province's Agricultural Land Base for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, as well as Candidate areas that are proposed by the Province for consideration as 'Prime Agricultural Land' designations.

Provincial and County Prime Agricultural Land Base Comparison maps

The Provincial and County Prime Agricultural Land Base Comparison Maps compare the recommended provincial Agricultural Land Base mapping with the agricultural mapping that is currently implemented in the County's Official Plan.

*Please note there is no Agricultural Land Base mapping for Cobourg.

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