Residents in Lakeshore, as well as the town's councilors, continue to push back against the possibility of greenhouse developments in the area. During a meeting, Ward 6 councilor Linda McKinlay introduced a motion to call on the municipality and the provincial government to oppose large commercial greenhouses as well as requesting that large commercial greenhouses are reclassified as industrial use.
The motion was approved by the council, which detailed a number of reasons that the greenhouse developments would not be beneficial to the area, including inadequate infrastructure related to traffic and water to accommodate the greenhouse industry, light and air pollution that would impact the environment, and insufficient resources to accommodate the greenhouses.
Greenhouse operations are considered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as farm use, so under provincial regulations, it would be difficult for the municipality to ban them. A bylaw banning greenhouse development is set to expire in March of 2023.
Many residents in the area are opposed to the greenhouses being built in the area. A petition was done online, which 1,656 individuals signed to oppose the developments. Multiple public consultations were held throughout Lakeshore as well, where hundreds of residents attended to ask questions and voice their concerns.
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