The mayor of Crabtree advocates the abolition of agricultural zoning on the last available lands in his municipality to devote them to a residential complex. This, in the context where Mme Duranceau, Minister responsible for Housing, wants, with the agreement of certain mayors, to allow certain municipalities to waive all urban planning regulations to speed up the approval procedure for housing projects. The realization of these intentions would constitute a significant step backwards in the approach to land use planning and the protection of agricultural land put in place almost 50 years ago. Are the ministers and mayors who should be in charge of these major policies up to the role expected of them or do they act as simple spearheads of the great real estate machine?
If we believe that agricultural land is a wealth to be preserved, it might be time to remove from the authority of municipalities and their tax base the blocks of land zoned and exploited for agricultural purposes. These blocks could constitute quasi-independent real estate entities dedicated to agriculture and managed by boards of directors elected by agricultural owners and operators alone. These agricultural territory councils could act to maintain and develop an agriculture that is both prosperous and respectful of the environment. They could benefit from adequate representation on the councils of the MRCs or on larger regional bodies. They could thus make their voice heard on various common issues with “urban” municipalities, notably transport, access to services and markets. These agricultural land councils would also be the appropriate body for the creation and management of an agricultural land reserve that can resist speculation on these lands and the gradual disappearance of agricultural heritage.
Freed from these “undesirable” agricultural territories, the mayors of “shrinking” municipalities could, if they have the will and the capacity, direct their action towards an improved living environment, based on tighter and better territorial planning. quality. And agricultural activity would be better off.
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