Former Simcoe Landfill Site Now Permanently Protected

Groundbreaking agreement between Simcoe County and Ontario Farmland Trust
News release from the Ontario Framland Trust April 12, 2012
Guelph – Over 250 acres of prime farmland in Tiny Township, once designatedas the North Simcoe Landfill (Site 41), have officially been returned to agriculture. Thanks to a ground-breaking agreement between the County of Simcoe and the Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT), two of four parcels at the former landfill site have now been permanently protected for ongoing farm activities.

The two farm parcels have now been sold to an area farmer, subject to farmland conservation easements. The easements are registered on title for each property and will forever protect farming and forestry on these parcels. The easementsprohibit future dumps, quarries, subdivision of the land and other non-farmdevelopments.
“The Farmland Trust is glad to support Simcoe County and Tiny Township’s desire to see these important lands protected for long-term agricultural use,” says Stew Hilts, OFT Chair. “We congratulate Simcoe County, the Warden and all members of council on their efforts to bring resolution to Site 41 land use issues andtheir leadership in pursuing this progressive conservation approach thathonours the community’s wishes.“
The Ontario Farmland Trust ‘holds’ the conservation easements on the lands, andbecomes responsible for monitoring the easement conditions annually to ensurethere are no violations.
Matt Setzkorn, OFT Policy Coordinator, says the Farmland Trust looks forward toworking with the new landowner to see farming return to the site. He adds, “thefarm community, including the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture, hasresponded favourably to us moving ahead with the farmland conservationeasements, which were crafted in such a way to permit a wide range of farmingactivities consistent with Tiny Township’s agriculturalzoning by-laws.”
The easements also provide additional protections for the site’s unique surface andgroundwater features. Protection of water quality was made an explicit conditionof the easement agreement, honouring the community’s concerns about preservingand maintaining the exceptionally high quality of water discovered on the siteand in surrounding areas through research activities during landfill planning.
Hilts notes that the partnership with Simcoe County in developing andregistering the conservation easements signals new opportunities for farmlandprotection in the province. “We hope these agricultural easements in Simcoewill serve as a model for expanded commitment to farmland preservation amongmunicipalities across Ontario.”
The Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT), established in 2004, protects and preserves farmland and associated agricultural, natural and cultural features of the Ontario’s countryside. OFT conducts research and education activities to further the preservation ofthese lands for the benefit of current and future generations. OFT also protectsfarmland by working directly with landowners who want to permanently protect their farm properties for farming. This includes accepting donations of farmlands andfarmland conservation easements. OFT easements allow landowners to continueowning and using their properties while placing some non-farm developmentrestrictions on the land. To date 600 acres of farmland have been permanently protected. For more information visit: www.ontariofarmlandtrust.