Greenbelt consultation draws farmers as NCC renews master plan
Part of draft plan aims to transform it into a 'vibrant, food-producing landscape'
Nathan Fung · CBC News
Posted: May 21, 2026 8:37 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago
Ottawa farmers who rent Greenbelt land are advocating for their industry as the National Capital Commission (NCC) looks at refreshing the area's strategy.
The NCC's current Greenbelt master plan was approved back in 2013 and guides how the commission manages the 20,000-hectare horseshoe of farmland, forests and wetlands surrounding central Ottawa.
It is now looking to finalize a new plan two years from now and held the first of several public consultations Wednesday night at the Nepean Sportsplex.
Seed farmer Manish Kushwaha, whose Gaia Organic Seeds is on Greenbelt lands, said the commission could be investing much more to support farmers.
One example, he said, was how two properties on his street were bulldozed when they could have been used by new farmers after some investment.
"The NCC historically has not proven itself to advocate fairly for farmers and it's moving away from its original mandate of keeping agriculture as its priority," he said.
According to one of the information boards at the session, the NCC is shifting its approach to "transform the Greenbelt from a passive land bank to a vibrant, food-producing landscape."
Dairy farmer Peter Ruiter said he welcomes the new emphasis on agriculture, but also expressed skepticism.
"So far they're saying that agriculture is going to be a priority.… I have to see it to believe it. In the past, we've been the afterthought," he said.
"I think the public as a whole doesn't see NCC [for] the value of the food we grow for the population. They more see it as parks, recreation and green space," he added.
The NCC's 2013 Greenbelt master plan focuses on four key areas: natural environment, sustainable agriculture, capital experiences and recreation, and facilities.
Similarly, the draft guiding principles featured at the open house focus on responsible leadership, ecological integrity, agricultural vitality, and capital experience.
Andrew Sacret, the NCC's chief of planning and design, said the new draft looks at the Greenbelt from the lens of it being an urban park as a way to give the land a better identity and increase its profile.
"It's not necessarily a place that's very well known to Canadians when they come to visit the national capital. But it could be, you know, if we really were able to give the Greenbelt a more defined identity," he said.
As for the Greenbelt's agricultural aspects, Sacret called the review an opportunity for the commission to make better use of the land over time.
"In this era where we're talking about climate change and globalization and so on, this is perhaps an opportunity to re-centre some of the food production here and bring food from the region to to people's tables," he said.
There are two more open houses on the new plan on May 21 and 26 and an online survey until June 8.
The NCC's timeline is to have a draft plan for its board this autumn or winter, hold more consultations next spring and have a final plan for board approval in the winter of 2028.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/greenbelt-ottawa-ncc-master-plan-farms-agriculture-9.7206741
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