Changes to the Drainage Act are being hailed as good news for local farmers and landowners.
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton says the Drainage Act is one of the oldest pieces of legislation in Ontario, passed in 1859. The latest changes are the first significant amendments since 1975.
“Essentially what we’ve done as a government is reviewed the legislation and streamlined the process to ensure that farmers and our small towns are getting approvals much more quickly,” McNaughton says. “This is great news for our farmers, it protects the environment, and also helps us economically.”
The changes, which went into effect at the end of June, are meant to reduce the regulatory burden and streamline approvals for farmers, rural landowners, and municipalities undertaking drainage projects.
Drainage supports agricultural productivity by reducing nutrient loss and soil erosion on farmlands. It provides environmental and economic benefits such as reducing flooding and increased crop productivity, as well as enhancing natural habitats.
Officials with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs say streamlining processes under the Drainage Act will not only save time and money for those undertaking projects, but will encourage the development of more small-scale green infrastructure projects that provide environmental benefits.
There are more than 45,000 kilometres of municipal drains servicing approximately 1.9 million hectares of a total of 3.6 million hectares of cropland in Ontario.
