Protecting and Expanding Ontario Farmland
Government restricting the international acquisition of provincial farmland and supporting agricultural expansion in northern Ontario
As part of the province’s plan to protect Ontario and build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant agri-food sector, the government intends to introduce legislation that would restrict foreign acquisition of provincial farmland and support the expansion of agricultural production in the Clay Belt region of northern Ontario. These measures will help create good-paying jobs and drive economic growth by keeping Ontario farmlands under local ownership and unlocking the full agricultural potential of the Clay Belt region.
“Ontario farmland is an important, limited resource and it should be owned by Ontario farmers,” said Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Now more than ever we need to protect and grow our agri-food sector. These proposed changes will protect local food production, grow our economy and keep our farmland under domestic ownership for future generations.”
If passed, the legislation would align Ontario with the approach taken by other jurisdictions in Canada, including Alberta and Quebec, and protect local ownership of provincial agriculture by creating significant restrictions on the foreign acquisition of Ontario farmland. These changes would mean that farms and farmland owned by Ontario and Canadian farmers, often for generations, would continue with domestic ownership, reinforcing the strength and self-reliance of Ontario’s agri-food supply chain. As next steps, the government will work with partners, including farmers, municipalities and industry, to consult on implementation, including how exemptions to the restrictions may be applied.
Ontario is also proposing to expand agricultural production in northern Ontario by streamlining access to Crown land in the Clay Belt region. The Clay Belt spans 180,000 square kilometres on both sides of the Ontario–Quebec border and contains extensive areas of potentially fertile soils that are well-suited to agriculture, including forage, field crops, and livestock production, with appropriate drainage and management.
While land on the Quebec side of the border has seen substantial development for agricultural purposes, land on the Ontario side remains comparatively less utilized for agriculture. These changes would make it easier for Ontario farmers to lease or access arable land on the Clay Belt, unlock new opportunities for the province’s agriculture sector, create jobs, protect provincial food security and grow Ontario food production.
“Our government will never stop championing the immense opportunities in our northern Ontario agriculture sector,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “We are taking new action to unlock Crown Land in the Clay Belt, expand the northern Ontario agricultural footprint and grow prosperity and competitiveness to the region.”
The province’s approach will prioritize proponent-driven opportunities that strengthen economic ties in the region while respecting Indigenous communities’ exercise of Aboriginal and treaty rights. Public consultation on the proposed changes to foreign acquisition of farmland will begin April 22, 2026 through the Regulatory Registry, with additional engagement to inform implementation.
Quick Facts
- The agri-food sector employs one-in-nine Ontarians and generated $52 billion in GDP in 2024.
- Farmland accounts for 5.2% of total land in Ontario, with more than 48,000 farms producing more than 200 types of commodities.
- In 2021, 1,782 farms in northern Ontario generated $238 million in farm cash receipts with grains and oilseeds, dairy, and cattle representing the top three commodities.
- Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan have legislation limiting the acquisition of farmland by non-Canadians.
- Over 90% of land in northern Ontario is Crown land.
- Ontario’s Clay Belt areas in northern Ontario and Quebec cover 180,000 km2, with 66% of that in Ontario.
