Council opposes Ford government moves into agricultural land redevelopment and official plan

A group of government officials and support workers sitting in modern black office chairs around a circular-like and hollow conference table. A large flat screen monitor hangs on the far wall, showing a political meeting's web streamed proceedings.
Prince Edward County Council in its newly renovated chambers at Shire Hall, Picton. Photo by Alex Wright.
Alexander Wright - CJPE - PictonON | 12-05-2023
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On Tuesday, Prince Edward County Council nearly unanimously voted to oppose the Ford Government’s new Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) which will allow for the proliferation of new residential lots on prime agricultural land and will deal a blow to the county’s current official plan and local community-level planning autonomy.

John Thompson of the county’s Agricultural Advisory Committee submitted a comment based upon Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s position, which found severe problems with the planning statement:

South Marysburgh Councillor John Hirsch, who introduced the motion, stated that the new PPS will "tear the guts out of" the county's recently adopted official plan, as it goes against its housing philosophy of intensification in established settlement areas (instead of allowing multi-lot rural subdivisions, which are a strain on local natural resources and heritage):

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