This dataset provides information about how agricultural land is being protected through municipal land use planning. Each municipality is listed along with the level of agricultural land protection found within municipal land use plans. Agricultural protection is described as either exclusive zoning for agricultural land, agriculture identified as permitted use, or no planning for agriculture.
Assessment of Agricultural Protection
Municipal planning strategies and land-use by-laws were assessed to determine the level of protection being given to agricultural land in the province.
Three levels of protection have been identified through the planning document review:
1) Exclusive zoning for agricultural land meaning that agricultural land is identified and given a specific zoning with the intent of protecting agricultural land, activities and resources.
2) Agriculture identified as a permitted use in other zones (rural residential, rural resource/development,industrial etc). Many of these zones have restrictions on certain agricultural uses, such as intensive livestock operations.
3) No planning for agriculture identifies municipalities that either do not have comprehensive municipal planning strategies or do not explicitly identify agriculture or agricultural activities within their planning strategies and land use bylaws.
