The shift toward preserving a living and a working rural landscape

 Stop the Red Tape! 

By Romanelli, M.  

I have volunteered with Burlington Agricultural and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee and informal rural advocacy groups since 2010, and many concerns raised over the years have gone unaddressed. The current approach risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy: when those who work to sustain rural communities feel unheard, they eventually disengage, and agriculture continues to decline.

I also volunteer with the Halton agricultural community more broadly, and there is a growing sense that without meaningful change, little agriculture will remain—only large homes on large lots. 

What I have most loved and appreciated living and working in Halton’s rural community is that I love the nature, wildlife, space, freedom to walk and not need a gym. I love driving my tractor when I mow the lawn. In light of this, a different approach is needed if Halton is serious about preserving a living, working rural landscape.

There needs to be a cultural shift away from overly restrictive regulation. Unless a proposal involves large-scale development or clearly inappropriate or illegal activity, municipalities should adopt a more supportive, problem-solving approach. Other jurisdictions successfully balance rural preservation with reasonable flexibility, and Burlington could do the same.

A significant reduction in red tape is essential. Several years ago, there were commitments made to streamline municipal processes, yet little progress has been seen. Even small-scale, appropriate rural development can take years to receive approvals.

This environment discourages innovation and investment and makes it difficult to support agricultural viability. The current system limits opportunities rather than enabling them, which contributes to the ongoing decline of agriculture in Halton.

In addition, a few Burlington staff such as the mayor, CAO and councilor went to Rural Ontario Municipal Association(ROMA) to discuss Additional Residential Units (ARU) and economic opportunities to encourage rural and agricultural development. This will not happen due to the inconsistency of available Burlington Hydro power. There are consistent brown and blackouts, low voltage in many locations in the rural area.

As a result, there are many rural residents that have had to replace appliances including TVs and Furnaces at their own expense. So, we are back into the same unfulfilled story of promised change. How can the City communicate to the province at ROMA the promotion of ARUs and economic development opportunities for farm-based businesses as well as rural businesses when there is inadequate infrastructure to support these endeavors.

Is it aging Hydro infrastructure or insufficient pruning back of trees leaning on hydro wires. I am not an expert, but something has to change. These are questions that we have been asking and so far, we have not received answers or commitments from Burlington Hydro.

Rural landowners understand how to steward their properties. Municipal policy should focus on enabling opportunity rather than devaluing rural land or unnecessarily restricting appropriate uses. Clear objectives are needed: what problem is the municipality truly trying to solve, and are current policies achieving that outcome?

To address this effectively, we truly need real and true dialogue with staff. As such, Farmers hopefully would be more likely to remain in agriculture, and local small businesses could emerge and flourish that help build genuine community—such as apiaries, tea houses, art studios, and service-based rural businesses.

In closing, currently, the approval process remains slow and inconsistent. What once took months now often takes years. Mapping exercises and regulatory overlays continue to expand, yet they do not necessarily translate into practical support for agriculture or economic growth in the rural area of Burlington 

Story curated by Phillip McAllister

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This post is part of our community dialogue about Halton's Rural Community. In November 2025, CDH published a Community Data Watch: Rural Halton, A Closer Look at the People , Place and the Changing Landscape.

We value community voice; it helps to inform our research and community understanding of important Halton issues. We welcome what you have to say about the research. If you would like to share your story or experience about living and/or working in Halton's rural community, let us know by getting started HERE.