FarmlandLossTrendsinCanada-PopulationGrowth,UrbanExpansionandSoilDegradation
The report highlights the persistent trend of farmland loss in Canada, noting that between 2006 and 2016 the country experienced a five percent reduction in farm acres. While Alberta and Saskatchewan performed better than the national average in limiting declines, Ontario and British Columbia saw notably greater losses. The primary drivers are soil degradation, urban expansion, and population growth, with approximately 50,000 to 60,000 acres converted annually to urban use. For every one million increase in population, about 131,000 acres of farmland near urban centers are lost. With population growth expected to remain strong and concentrated in urban areas, these pressures are anticipated to continue, reinforcing the outlook that Canadian farmland will remain under steady contraction in the years ahead.