Specialty crop areas
Learn about the agricultural areas in Ontario where fruits and vegetables are grown commercially and what makes them invaluable.
About specialty crop areas
As outlined in the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020, the following crops are predominantly grown in specialty crop areas:
- tender fruits (for example, peaches, cherries and plums)
- grapes
- other fruit crops (for example, apples, pears and berries)
- vegetable crops
- greenhouse crops
- crops from agriculturally developed organic soil (for example, carrots and onions)
The commercial production of these crops is possible due to a combination of:
- suitable soil and/or special climatic conditions
- farmers skilled in growing these crops
- capital investments into areas such as:
- perennial rootstock
- workers’ accommodations
- storage, processing and distribution facilities
- drainage or irrigation infrastructure
- equipment
Provincial policy gives specialty crop areas the highest priority for protection because they:
- are scarce and unique; if lost, they cannot be recreated
- are important economically (jobs, diversification of the economy)
- represent some of Ontario’s highest earning agricultural lands
- provide many value-added and agri-tourism opportunities
Permitted uses
Specialty crop areas include a wide variety of economic opportunities such as agricultural, agriculture-related and on-farm diversified uses.
Under certain conditions, infrastructure (for example, roads, pipelines) and mineral aggregate extraction may be permitted.
Other non-agricultural uses, including settlement areas, are not permitted.
Provincial locations
Provincial specialty crop areas can be categorized into three groups:
- Specialty crop areas designated in the Greenbelt Plan:
- Holland Marsh
- Niagara Peninsula Tender Fruit and Grape Area
- Specialty crop areas designated in a provincially approved, municipal official plan:
- Areas with specialty crop area characteristics and economic opportunities associated with fruit and vegetable production, but not yet designated in a municipal official plan or provincial plan:
- Several historic references recognize additional important fruit and vegetable production areas (for example, Foodland Guidelines, 1978 (PDF), OMAFRA fact sheet: Fruit Production in Ontario, 1981 (updated in 2004); Physiography of Southern Ontario, Chapman and Putnam, 1984).
- These areas may include, but may not be limited to Essex County, South Kent, Norfolk County and Prince Edward County / Lake Ontario shoreline.
- OMAFRA’s Rural Planners are available to support mapping of these areas during municipal official plan reviews.
In addition to provincial specialty crop areas, municipalities may designate locally or regionally significant specialty crop areas based on municipal criteria.