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arlier this month the Government of Canada tabled amendments to the Rouge National Urban Park Act, taking a step towards completing the establishment of Rouge National Urban Park. The amendments aim to protect the Park’s important ecosystems and heritage, including providing greater certainty for Rouge Park farmers.
Among the amendments, one-year farm leases will be replaced with leases of up to 30 years in an effort to ensure longer-term stability for park farmers and families.
“This agreement is one small step towards ensuring strong vibrant agricultural operations on the Rouge Park lands. Long term agreements with farmers allows for certainty and investment on public lands,” says Janet Horner, GHFFA Executive Director.
These farmers provide an important source of locally-grown food to the Greater Toronto Area, and some of these families have been farming in the Rouge Valley since 1799. Read the news release from the Government of Canada here.