The Ontario government says it plans to introduce legislation to restrict foreign ownership of provincial farmland while expanding agricultural production in northern Ontario’s Clay Belt region.
The proposal, announced Tuesday by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, is part of the province’s broader plan to strengthen its agri-food sector and boost economic growth.
Agriculture Minister Trevor Jones said the changes are aimed at keeping farmland in domestic hands.
“Ontario farmland is an important, limited resource and it should be owned by Ontario farmers,” Jones said. “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 bring Ontario in line with other provinces, including Alberta and Quebec, that have restrictions on foreign ownership of farmland. The government says it will consult with farmers, municipalities and industry partners on how the rules would be implemented, including possible exemptions.
The province is also proposing to expand agricultural activity in the Clay Belt, a region spanning roughly 180,000 square kilometres across northern Ontario and Quebec that contains large areas of potentially fertile soil.
Officials say farmland on the Ontario side of the Clay Belt has been less developed compared with Quebec, and the proposed changes would make it easier for farmers to lease or access Crown land for agriculture, including forage, crops and livestock production.
Northern Development Minister George Pirie said the move would help unlock new opportunities in the region.
“Our government will never stop championing the immense opportunities in our northern Ontario agriculture sector,” Pirie said. “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 government said the approach would prioritize projects that support economic growth while respecting Indigenous and treaty rights. Public consultation on the proposed foreign ownership restrictions is set to begin April 22 through the province’s Regulatory Registry.
The agri-food sector accounts for one in nine jobs in Ontario and generated $52 billion in GDP in 2024, according to the province.
