Saint-Eustache, August 15, 2024 - The UPA Outaouais-Laurentides Federation, representing farmers in the Outaouais, Laurentians, Laval and Montreal regions, expresses its categorical opposition to the recent proposal Ce lien s'ouvrira dans une nouvelle fenêtre by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) to reform agricultural zoning as part of the housing crisis. Agricultural land, which covers only 4% of Quebec's territory, is a precious and irreplaceable resource, essential to guaranteeing our society's food security.
“The housing crisis is a pressing reality, but it's dangerous to believe that the solution lies in destroying our agricultural lands. How can we guarantee our food self-sufficiency if we sacrifice these lands to housing projects? Relying on imports to feed our population is neither sustainable nor responsible,” says Audrey Lemaire, vice-president of the UPA Outaouais-Laurentides Federation and dairy farmer in Saint-Jérôme.
The Federation and its members are first-hand witnesses to the relentless pressure exerted by urban development in agricultural zones. The Laval region and the North Shore of Montreal have experienced tremendous population growth in recent decades, often at the expense of dynamic agricultural land. This trend shows no sign of slowing, as illustrated by the 60 applications filed with the Commission de Protection du Territoire Agricole (CPTAQ) in 2023 for projects in these areas.
“With the challenges we face in feeding future generations, it's essential to recognize that our agricultural lands play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity. Not only do they produce our food, but they also maintain a vital ecological balance in the face of climate change,” reminds Stéphane Alary, President of the UPA Outaouais-Laurentides Federation and dairy and field crop farmer in Luskville.
The region's agricultural land is among the most fertile in Quebec, offering optimal conditions for quality agriculture. Citizens benefit from peri-urban agriculture, which gives them access to fresh, top-quality produce sold directly by producers. Protecting these lands from urban expansion is crucial to our collective ability to feed future generations.
The affordable housing crisis is a complex challenge that demands creative and sustainable solutions. Building new housing at the expense of agricultural lands is a simplistic and shortsighted approach. Such a solution risks creating more problems than it solves, exacerbating our dependence on food imports and reducing our resilience in the face of future crises.
The Federation calls on the MEI to rethink its proposals and focus on solutions that promote the densification of existing urban areas, while respecting and protecting our precious agricultural heritage.