Letter from Minister Smith and Minister Thompson Outlines Protections for Agricultural Land as Part of the IESO’s Second Long-Term Procurement
June 6, 2024
Projects under the IESO’s second long-term procurement will be required to adhere to certain parameters for development on agricultural land.
In a letter issued today, Minister Todd Smith and Minister Lisa Thompson have specified that: no new energy projects may be built in specialty crop areas; ground-mounted solar generation cannot be sited on Prime Agricultural Areas; all other resource types may only locate on Prime Agricultural Areas if they have received both Municipal Council approval and municipal approval of an Agricultural Impact Assessment; and rated criteria points will be awarded for projects that avoid Prime Agricultural Areas.
The full letter is available on the IESO’s website.