Gobbling farmland

Estimates by some GTA municipalities as to how much green space they'll need to convert
from potatoes to pavement to fulfill provincial population goals for 2031.
Hectares of land remaining Hectares of land
within urban boundary outside urban boundary Total hectares Projected
already committed for proposed for further of land to be Population population % Increase
Municipality development urban expansion developed in 2006 in 2031 2006-2031
Brampton 6,479 — ** 6,479 453,000 724,000 60%
Milton 2,300 2,040 4,340 56,000 228,000 307%
Vaughan 3,179 1,157 4,336 248,800 418,800 68%
Pickering 1,207 1,234 2,441 91,800 225,700 146%
Halton Hills 1,520 740 2,260 55,289 104,000 88%
Oakville 2,240 — ** 2,240 165,000 255,000 55%
Whitby 809 1,222 2,031 116,300 192,900 66%
Markham 995 0* 995 272,500 423,500 55%
East Gwillimbury 1,456 515 1,971 21,900 88,000 302%
Oshawa 1,512 271 1,783 148,000 197,000 33%
Clarington 1,634 141 1,775 81,400 140,300 72%
Caledon 1,252 *** 375 1,627 57,000 111,000 95%
Total 24,583 7,695 32,278 1,766,989 3,108,200 76%
* Markham planning staff have proposed a 1,000 hectare expansion of the municipality, but council is considering a proposal for
no expansion put forward by councillors Erin Shapero and Valerie Burke.
** Brampton and Oakville have no land left outside their urban boundary because they’ve zoned it all for urban development.
*** Caledon figures include the Palgrave Estates, which the province says is within urban boundary, something disputed by Caledon.
SOURCE: Municipal planning reports TORONTO STAR GRAPHIC

Size:
3 column by 29 lines
File name:
gt-urban-farm-land-bh.eps
Designer:
Brian
Edition date:
day, XXXX, ‘09