Ministry of Rural Affairs
Norfolk County is one of Ontario's largest and most productive agricultural municipalities. While protecting prime agricultural land remains a priority, there are parcels within designated agricultural areas that are constrained by natural features, irregular lot configurations, or other limitations that make them unsuitable for farming.
Where we’re at
Under the current Provincial Planning Statement (2024), Norfolk County has virtually no "rural lands" outside of settlement areas, meaning residential lot creation is prohibited except in very limited circumstances. As a result, landowners are unable to create modest residential lots on properties that have little or no agricultural value.
Providing municipalities with greater flexibility would:
- Create new housing opportunities without impacting productive farmland.
- Support rural population growth and help address housing shortages.
- Allow underutilized lands to contribute to local tax assessment.
- Give municipalities the ability to make planning decisions based on local conditions rather than a one-size-fits-all provincial policy.
Norfolk asks that the Province:
- Amend the Provincial Planning Statement (PPS) to allow municipalities, such as Norfolk County, greater flexibility to permit residential lot creation on underutilized or non-farmable lands within prime agricultural areas where agricultural use is not viable. This could include establishing criteria for severances on lands that cannot reasonably support agricultural production while maintaining the protection of Ontario's prime farmland.
Norfolk is ready.
We can grow Ontario, together.