Protect farmland near Minesing Wetlands

AI summary

Petitioners say the Department of National Defence purchased about 288 hectares in Clearview Township for a proposed Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) preliminary receive site, and that the lands overlap or border the Minesing Wetlands. They assert DND solicitations for additional land could remove thousands of acres of prime farmland and raise concerns about impacts on wetlands, groundwater, species at risk, and food security. The petition asks the government to halt construction pending environmental and alternatives analyses, publish documents on alternative locations and federal/Crown/defence lands, and avoid siting defence infrastructure on prime agricultural or ecologically connected lands; no government response is recorded on the petition.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Prime Minister The Department of National Defence (DND) purchased approximately 288 hectares (711 acres) of prime agricultural land in Clearview Township for a proposed Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) Preliminary Receive Site; The purchased lands overlap and are adjacent to the Minesing Wetlands, a wetland of international importance within the Nottawasaga River watershed that provides flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, water filtration, wildlife habitat, and other critical ecological functions; DND has issued solicitations to landowners regarding potential acquisition of additional lands for two Permanent Receive Sites that could remove thousands of acres of prime farmland from production; Prime agricultural land is a non-renewable national resource, and Ontario continues to lose farmland at an alarming rate; Food security is an important component of Canada's national security and agricultural lands should be protected wherever feasible alternatives exist; Changes to lands connected to sensitive wetlands may affect groundwater systems, agricultural drainage networks, species at risk, wildlife habitat, and downstream communities; and Canadians support a strong national defence while expecting responsible stewardship of agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands. We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Halt construction activities associated with the proposed A-OTHR Receive infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternatives analyses are completed; 2. Make public all documents relating to alternative locations, and conduct a transparent review of existing federal, Crown, and defence lands; and 3. Ensure that defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands. 1. Halt construction activities associated with the proposed A-OTHR Receive infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternatives analyses are completed; 2. Make public all documents relating to alternative locations, and conduct a transparent review of existing federal, Crown, and defence lands; and 3. Ensure that defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands.

Government response

No government response is available yet.