The  Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) has purchased approximately 288 hectares (711 acres) of prime agricultural land in Clearview Township, Ontario for a proposed military installation of an Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) Preliminary Receive Site.

The purchased lands overlap and are adjacent to the Minesing Wetlands, a wetland of international importance designated under the RAMSAR Convention and a provincial Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).   The Minesing Wetlands is within the Nottawasaga River watershed,  provides flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, water filtration, wildlife habitat, and other critical ecological functions.

DND has also issued letters to landowners over an adjacent 6000 acres asking if they would sell their land to build two Permanent A-OTHR Receive Sites.  Expropriation could remove additional thousands of acres of prime farmland from production.

Prime agricultural land is a non-renewable national resource.

Canada continues to lose farmland at an alarming rate.

Food security is an important component of Canada's national security.

Agricultural lands should be protected wherever feasible alternatives exist.

Changes to lands connected to sensitive wetlands may affect groundwater systems, agricultural drainage networks, species at risk, wildlife habitat, and downstream communities.

Canadians support a strong national defence but expect responsible stewardship of agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands.

We  call upon the Government of Canada to

• Halt construction activities associated with the proposed A-OTHR Receive infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternatives analyses are completed;
• Make public all documents relating to alternative locations, and conduct a transparent review of existing federal, Crown, and defence lands and;
• Ensure that defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands.