Bill 28 explained in plain English
Alternate Land Use and Services Program for Agricultural Land Act, 2018
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill 28, the Alternate Land Use and Services Program for Agricultural Land Act, 2018, allows Ontario farmers to voluntarily set aside land for ecosystem restoration and services, and requires the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to create a supporting provincial plan.
This Act establishes a voluntary program in Ontario for owners of agricultural land. It allows them to set aside parts of their land to create or restore natural ecosystems and to develop projects that produce 'ecosystem services', which are benefits from healthy natural environments like clean air and water. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry is required to develop a provincial framework and action plan within 12 months of the Act receiving Royal Assent. This plan will provide guidelines, educational materials, promote research and international discussions, and outline how government funds and encourages private donations for these purposes.
- Recognizes the right of agricultural landowners to set aside land for natural ecosystem establishment, restoration, or preservation.
- Recognizes the right of agricultural landowners to set aside land for projects that establish and maintain ecosystem services.
- Requires the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to develop a provincial framework and action plan within 12 months of Royal Assent.
- The provincial framework and action plan will provide guidelines for using agricultural land for ecosystem and ecosystem service projects.
- The provincial framework and action plan will include provisions for creating and distributing standardized educational materials.
- The provincial framework and action plan will promote research into these alternate land uses.
- The provincial framework and action plan will promote international symposia on these alternate land uses.
- The provincial framework and action plan will outline government funding for these uses and symposia.
- The provincial framework and action plan will encourage fundraising from non-government sources for these uses and symposia.
- Allows the Minister to amend the provincial framework and action plan as needed.
- Makes the Minister responsible for administering the provincial framework and action plan.
- Allows the Minister to consult with other ministries, the Government of Canada, and other entities.
- Requires the provincial framework and action plan to be published on a government website within one month of development or amendment.
- Names the Act as the Alternate Land Use and Services Program for Agricultural Land Act, 2018.
- Owners of agricultural land in Ontario
- Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
- Members of the public
- Government of Ontario ministries
- Government of Canada
- Agricultural landowners have the right to set aside land to establish, restore, or preserve a natural ecosystem.
- Agricultural landowners have the right to set aside land to establish and maintain projects that produce ecosystem services.
- The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry has a duty to develop a provincial framework and action plan within 12 months of Royal Assent.
- The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry is responsible for administering the provincial framework and action plan.
- The Act came into force on the day it received Royal Assent.
- The Minister must develop the provincial framework and action plan no later than 12 months after the Act receives Royal Assent.
- The provincial framework and action plan may provide for government funding for alternate land uses and symposia, from funds appropriated to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
- The provincial framework and action plan will encourage the raising of money from non-government sources for alternate land uses and symposia.
- The bill does not specify any enforcement mechanisms or penalties.
- The bill does not specify the exact nature or scope of the ecosystem services that will be covered.
- The extent of government funding for the program is not specified, only that it will be from appropriated funds to the extent the Minister considers appropriate.
- The bill does not detail how non-government funding will be encouraged or managed.
- The specific details of the provincial framework and action plan are to be developed by the Minister.
- The bill does not define 'agricultural land' beyond its use in the context of the Act.
This Act creates a new program related to the use of agricultural land in Ontario and defines 'ecosystem service' and 'Minister'.
This Act came into force on the day it received Royal Assent.
Source: Section 4
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
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Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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