Perth Cfa Letter Regarding Highway 7&8

Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario 7660 Mill Rd., RR4 Guelph Ontario N1H 6J1 Voice (519) 837-1620 Fax (519) 824-1835

E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.christianfarmers.org

May 22, 2009 Ms. Brenda Jamieson, P. Eng. Consultant Project Manager Mr. Charles Organ, C.E.T. Ministry of Transportation- West Region Project Manager Perth CFA concerns regarding Highway 7 & 8 Transportation Corridor Planning The Perth Christian Farmers Association (CFA) is very concerned with the potential impact that the proposed Highway 7&8 Transportation Corridor will have on prime agricultural land southeast of Stratford. The Perth CFA is part of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, one of the provinces three general farm organizations, representing over four thousand farmers across the province. In particular, we are concerned with the proposed Lorne Avenue/Erie Street Corridor Alternative that will dissect a number of farms southeast of Stratford as it runs North-East from Perth Line 33 through to Highway 7 & 8. These farms are located on Class One farm land, and are currently highly productive enterprises. Constructing a highway through the farms will seriously impair their ability to operate successfully. Perth CFA Rationale for Objection The Perth CFA strongly advocates that all prime agricultural land in Ontario be preserved for agricultural use. Our organization believes that the very finite resource of prime agricultural land is too valuable a resources to unnecessarily “develop” for other purposes. Southern Ontario in particular, constitutes by far the majority of Canada’s best farmland and as such development proposals of any kind should place a special emphasis on the potential implications for agriculture. Furthermore, as noted several times in your own documentation, Section 2.3 of the Provincial Policy Statement requires that prime farmland be protected for long-term use for agriculture. The Perth CFA feels that to cut apart several farm operations to save a minute or two of commuter travel time in the manner proposed, is not sufficient to justify this proposal. Perth CFA Alternative Recommendation The Perth CFA recommends that Perth Roads 109, 110, and 111, be examined as possible targets for connecting Perth Line 33 and Highway 7&8, with the best suited road being selected as the target corridor. Thank you for your time and consideration of this recommendation. Regards, Bill French, President Perth Christian Farmers Association