Bringing Two Municipalities Together
The Holland Marsh spans parts of Bradford West Gwillimbury and King Township, and farmers who live or operate land on both sides can currently find themselves working with two different sets of zoning rules. A collaborative project between the two municipalities is now working to create greater consistency across the Marsh. Jennifer Best, Director of Growth Services for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, is leading the project, which focuses on harmonizing zoning across the Holland Marsh. “This is a heart and soul project to support farming in the Holland Marsh for the farmers,” Best said.
The project grew out of discussions between municipal councillors and chief administrative officers that had taken place years earlier. When Best joined Bradford West Gwillimbury as Director of Growth Services, getting the initiative moving became one of her priorities.Rather than looking at zoning from a municipal perspective alone, Best brought together a group that brings different voices to the table. The group includes councillors from the Holland Marsh area, staff from both municipalities, representatives from the Holland Marsh Growers Association, farmers and the drainage superintendents who work across the area. The goal was to identify where the two municipalities’ zoning bylaws differ, where gaps or conflicts exist and where rules could be brought into alignment.
Protecting a Working Agricultural Landscape
The Holland Marsh is one of Ontario’s specialty crop areas identified under the Greenbelt Plan, making the way the land is managed particularly important to the agricultural community. The working group identified a number of areas to investigate, including permitted land uses, general provisions, accessory structures and performance standards such as setbacks. Other topics include temporary worker housing, greenhouses, storage trailers, and livestock operations.
Temporary worker housing is an important consideration in the Marsh, where seasonal and migrant farm workers play a role in vegetable production. The project is also examining how to address residential development in the agricultural area. Best noted that large residential buildings can sometimes create challenges for farming on long, narrow lots in the Marsh. If a house occupies too much of the property, it can make it difficult to access farmland at the rear with farm equipment.
Another concern is the gradual introduction of land use that goes against agricultural production.“We want to ensure that the area is set up for farming, not for granite countertops and other types of non-compatible uses,” Best said.
Research First, Rules Later
The work is still in its research stage. The municipalities have not yet reached the point of drafting the new bylaws. Staff from both King and Bradford West Gwillimbury are currently comparing the municipalities’ zoning standards and conducting jurisdictional scans to see how similar issues are addressed elsewhere in Ontario. The project team is also developing policy briefs looking at the impacts of the Greenbelt Plan, the Provincial Planning Statement and the municipalities’ official plans.
A key part of the research is a matrix comparing the two existing zoning bylaws. The information will help the working group identify where the rules can be aligned and where further discussion is needed. Funding support from the Greater Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance helped the project team bring on additional staff to support the research and analysis. The project has been deliberately collaborative so far. “Because we’re in a research component and we have a strong working group, it’s been very collaborative and very supportive,” Best said.
Broader community engagement will come as the project progresses. A joint website being developed by King and Bradford West Gwillimbury is expected to provide information about the project, share research findings and eventually provide opportunities for surveys and public input.The project team has also been working with the Holland Marsh Growers Association and plans to continue meeting with farmers as the work moves forward.
Making Farming Across Municipal Lines Easier
For Best, the purpose of the project comes down to making farming the Marsh easier. Some farmers have properties that cross municipal boundaries and can face different requirements depending on where a property is located. Harmonizing the rules could mean more consistent terminology, definitions, setbacks, storage provisions and other zoning requirements.
The goal is that a farmer would be able to work with a more consistent set of expectations, rather than wondering why something is permitted in King but not Bradford West Gwillimbury, or vice versa. “It takes a lot of that stress out of it and confusion,” Best said.
The project comes at a time when both municipalities are planning for growth. Bradford West Gwillimbury’s Growth Management Plan projects the town will reach 83,470 people and 30,900 jobs by 2051—making the protection and management of agricultural land an important part of broader growth planning.
A Model That Could Extend Beyond the Marsh
Best said the relationships being built through the zoning project will also help with future agricultural planning, including an agricultural advisory partnership working group in Bradford West Gwillimbury. While the Holland Marsh project is focused specifically on the area between King Township and Bradford West Gwillimbury, the lessons learned could have applications elsewhere. Best hopes that what the municipalities learn through the process can eventually be useful in other areas of Ontario with specialty or unique agricultural production.
For now, the work continues behind the scenes, with research and preliminary findings underway. The municipalities expect to move into the statutory planning process in 2027, including drafting bylaws, public meetings and reports to council. The end goal is to make the rules easier to understand, more consistent between municipalities and better suited to the farmers who rely on the Holland Marsh to grow food. “It’s really a testament of really putting the farmer first in this situation,” Best said.