While Stop Sprawl Durham is in full support of the New Act regarding the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve easements and covenants ERO 019-7735 to protect the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve in perpetuity, in light of the history as it relates to the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve easements, there is one crucial amendment that we fully support.  

LET’S NOT ALLOW HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF

As detailed in this Ministry of Natural Resources October 31, 2005 Backgrounder, conservation easements held under the Conservation Land Act protected the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve land for agricultural uses in perpetuity.  However there have now been two situations where these easements were arbitrary removed by the whim of the politicians of the day. 

2005
First, as detailed in this Ministry of Natural Resources October 31, 2005 Backgrounder, in March 2005, without consulting the province, the then Town of Pickering, who held the conservation easements at the time, removed the easements on two-thirds of the DRAP properties.  In response, in October 2005, the Ontario government introduced Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Act, 2005 (DRAPA) that reinstated the conservation easements ensuring that the then Town of Pickering honoured agreements to permanently set aside the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve for agricultural uses. 

2022
More recently however, the Ford Government’s 2022 Greenbelt Scandal resulted in all four layers of protection being stripped from the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve, including the 2005 DRAPA, opening the DRAP’s 4,700 acres of Prime Agricultural and Natural Heritage lands to the whims of the developers.  

PROPOSAL FOR UPHOLDING DRAP EASEMENT INTEGRITY  
In keeping with the Ontario Farmland Trust ERO-019-7735 New Act regarding the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve easements and covenants Submission, Stop Sprawl Durham is in full support of the OFT’s proposal as outlined in their submission: 

“As part of the ongoing commitment to safeguard the DRAP lands and uphold the integrity of the subject farmland conservation easements, OFT is proposing that our organization be instated as the holder of the DRAP conservation easement agreements. With nearly two decades of experience in farmland conservation easement agreements and a deep-rooted mission to protect and preserve Ontario's farmland, OFT is uniquely positioned to ensure the long-term protection and monitoring of these agreements. By deepening our collaboration, the government and OFT can jointly advance our shared objectives. Such a partnership would have positive results over issues that the public cares deeply about, underscoring the proactive steps taken by the administration."

As such Stop Sprawl Durham has requested that the following amendment be made to the New Act regarding the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve Easements and Covenants, 2023 as follows: 

That the Ontario Farmland Trust be instated as the holder of the DRAP conservation easement agreements. 

The Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve - 4,700 acres of Prime Agriculatural and Natural Heritage land must be protected in perpetuity – now is the time to legislate the PERMANENT protection of these lands.