The Experimental Farm will be preserved and possibly expanded.

A National Capital Commission document called "The Plan for Canada's Capital, 2017-2067" page 40/95."The Central Experimental Farm, established in 1886, is a unique working farm in the heart of an urban region. The Experimental Farm is open to the public throughout the year, along with the adjacent 26-hectare Arboretum."

"This central asset of the Capital's urban green space network contributes to biodiversity and reinforces the link from the Rideau Canal to the Ottawa River ecosystems. In the coming years the long-term ecological and scientific outlook for preserving the Central Experimental Farm and the Arboretum should be revalidated in an update to the existing 2005 master plan... The national institutions discussed above (such as Health Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada and the National Research Council) combine to create a distinctively Canadian experience for residents and visitors to the Capital."

"Over the next 50 years, the social and cultural fabric of the Capital will be enriched by the evolution of these institutions. The NCC respects these venerable institutions and will support their future expansion as required."

A 2017 NCC document approved by the Minister of Canadian Heritage the Hon. Melanie Joly, NCC Chair Russell Mills and CEO Dr. Mark Kristmanson.

Urbanization of the Greenbelt.

 "The Plan for Canada's Capital 2017-2067" "Over time, the NCC will explore options to transfer NCC-owned Regional Interest Land Mass properties to another appropriate steward such as a municipality."  

The Central Experimental Farm is a research facility and a national historic site of Canada.

A petition sent to the Auditor General of Canada. 

Petition: 388

Issue (s): Agriculture, environmental assessment, governance, science and technology

Petitioner (s): Canadian organization

Petitioner (s) Location (s): Ottawa, Ontario

Date Received: 28 January 2016

Status: Completed. Response to petition received.

Summary: The petition asks for information about the transfer of 60 acres of the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa from the control of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to the National Capital Commission. 

It also addresses concerns about the negotiations to lease that land to the Ottawa Hospital Corporation for a 99-year period.

The Central Experimental Farm is a national historic site where various environmental scientific experiments are conducted. For instance, the Farm conducts experiments on the impact of climate change on agriculture, and studies crop yields and soil biodiversity. The petitioner asserts that the proposed severance of some of the most significant acreage will have negative impacts on the Farm in both its role as a research facility and a national historic site.

The petitioner asks, among other things, why the transfer was not subjected to an environmental assessment, what other sites were selected , and why no public hearings have been held on the transfer. The petition also asks to be made available to the general public the basics of the discussion that led to the transfer.

Federal departments responsible for reply: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; Parks Canada.

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(Reposting) Saving the Farm and the Greenbelt House of Commons Ottawa May 25, 2010: MP Marcel Proulx (Hull-Aylmer, Liberal): "...The Liberal members from the National Capital Region, the member for Ottawa-Vanier, the member for Ottawa South and myself have good reason to call for enhanced protection of the greenbelt. There are, as a matter of fact, no major regulations protecting this area. Together the City of Ottawa and the NCC could do what they like with it. We believe this greenspace must be protected from developers." 

Agriculture Canada research farms are included in the Greenbelt. (Google: savecfbrockcliffe-The National Interest Land Holdings in 1988.)-"1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC".

Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Jacques Greber wanted the 50,000 acre Greenbelt to be owned by the Federal Government of Canada in perpetuity, because:

1.) The Greenbelt is a living memorial to the Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during World War Two;

2.) lower levels of government including municipalities can be influenced by developer donations;

 3..) Prime Minister King and Jacques Greber never wanted the land privatized. I do not believe they would have approved of Parks Canada converting the land to an Urban National Park. (In the year 2017, Parks Canada was thinking of selling all the Rideau Canal locks, bridges and dams; and selling all the infrastructure in Canada's National Parks for $8 billion dollars. An article by Dean Beeby of CBC News.) 

(Reposting) House of Commons Ottawa March 24, 1986 MP Jean-Robert Gauthier (Chief Opposition Whip) (Whip of the Liberal Party): "Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will he tell the House of Commons if it is federal policy to sell federally owned parkland? NCC Chairman Jean Pigott recently said she wants to sell part of an Ottawa riverfront park known as Mile Circle to the United States of America for an embassy compound. Is the Government in favour of selling our natural parklands?"

"The Experimental Farm forms a central park within a residential area of the City of Ottawa." (The Greber Report of 1950, page 167/395.)

Federal parks within the CEF: The Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Arboretum, Ornamental Gardens, Macoun Memorial Gardens, Commissioners Park, Historic Hedge Collection, Experimental Farm Woods and Queen Juliana Park - savecfbrockcliffe. 

The Farm is designated as a National Historic Site, a greenspace, an open space and a Cultural Landscape.

The 960-acre property is also part of the National Interest Land Mass and can never be sold or subdivided. The Research Farm on Woodroffe Avenue is an annex of the CEF and is part of the Greenbelt:

The 1958 expansion of the CEF. 

The photo is from Heritage Ottawa. The William Saunders Building can be seen in the distance.

More cultural landscapes in the National Capital Region:

• The Parliament Buildings and Parliament Hill
• Rideau Hall
• The Mackenzie King Estate in Quebec
• Rockcliffe Park
• Queen Elizabeth Driveway more

The Greenbelt will forever be owned by all Canadians.

The National Capital Greenbelt is one of the largest in the world and the only one that is publicly owned in its entirety. 

Shirley's Bay - (800 ha) A provincially significant wetland, migratory bird staging and nesting area and fish habitat. The causeway acts as a bird watching venue.

Shirley's Bay Shoreline - Provides opportunities for year-round public activities.

Bishop and Sandstone Quarries - Provided stone for the construction of the Parliament Buildings. (The Dominion Observatory and the astronomy campus on the Experimental Farm are endangered because they are partly constructed with Nepean sandstone - and they will be damaged from nearby blasting and construction---and from more than 100 emergency vehicles a day using Maple Drive; already the South Azimuth is facing demolition.

Bruce Pit (300 ha) - A re-naturalized sand pit with diverse wildlife habitat.

Conroy Pit (100 ha) - Abandoned sand pit.

Silver Spring Farm - Historic Landmark (1867) and working farm. 

Agriculture Canada Research Farm (1,700 ha) -1740 Woodroffe Centre for Food and Animal Research (CFAR), monitoring and conducting research, croplands and conducting animal nutrition for over 20 years. The Animal Disease Research Institute  was one of two animal health and rabies prevention laboratories in Canada. (The City of Ottawa wants the Greenbelt. The City has indicated that agricultural land situated between established neighbourhoods is earmarked for residential development. Federal politicians and environmentalists believe that the land should be preserved for future generations:

An October 8, 1974 Ottawa Citizen article: "Danson says 'no' to housing on Farm, Greenbelt ."The Hon. Barnett Danson was a Minister of National Defence and a Minister of State for Urban Affairs. 

Ottawa-Nepean Tent and Trailer Park - Almost 300 sites accommodating visitors from across Canada and around the world.

Bell Northern Research and Northern Telecom - Telecom research with 8,000 employees in the future. Home to the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre (1992).

National Capital Equestrian Centre - Riding School and training centre, site of international riding and jumping events.

Farms in the western Greenbelt benefit from large areas of high quality agricultural soils.

Hornets Nest Soccer Fields - 11 sports fields host local and provincial tournaments. 

Nepean Sportsplex (1973) - Regional scale sports and recreational facility.

Pine View Golf Course - A 36 acre public course operated by the City of Gloucester.

Log Farm - Restoration of the Bradley Farm of 1887.

Pinhey Forest (300 ha) A managed woodlot begun in the 1930's to prevent sand erosion. Wildlife habitat and recreational open space.

The Royal Swans, a Centennial gift from Queen Elizabeth 11, winter here in the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt's environment has been improved by community organizations that have planted many thousands of trees.

Pine Grove Forest (1,200 ha) Largest block of 2,600 hectares of natural and plantation forest managed by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Multiple-use area timber production, mature trails and wildlife habitat.

Ramsayville Hamlet - Founded in the mid-1800's. Remaining buildings form an important cultural landscape. Over 3.6 million trees have been planted in the Greenbelt since 1966.

Black Rapids Lockstation and the Rideau Canal (1830's) Historically and environmentally significant site at the geographic centre of the Greenbelt. Provides important boating access to the Capital.

Jack Pine Trail (1969) A popular winter bird feeding area with a trail and birdwalks.

Richmond Road - One of the oldest roads in the region (1819).

Southern Greenbelt Farms, on the best soil in the Greenbelt, form a major part of the 5,000 hectares leased to about 70 farm tenants. 16 soccer fields, 6 ball diamonds, 3 golf courses, a sailing club and other recreational facilities are found in the Greenbelt.

Carlsbad Forest Reserve (1,100 ha) Acquired in 1974 as a green buffer for the now defunct Southeast Urban Community Mineral Springs. Made the Carlsbad community a popular turn of the century destination but the water was unfit for human consumption.

Attempts to remove research land from the CEF.

 1974 - The National Capital Commission wanted 700 acres from Clyde Avenue to Prince of Wales Drive for a "housing emergency." 

2001 - "Phase 1 of the project would fence off about 44 hectares (88 acres) of land now designated for research." ("Botanical garden plan alarms Farm fans" by Carolynne Wheeler, Ottawa Citizen, August 3, 2001.")

2014 - Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz refuses to give the hospital 60 acres directly across the street from the current hospital.

Land directly across the street from the Civic Hospital on Carling.

2023 - Shadows from future high rise buildings on 1081 Carling Avenue threaten research.

2023 - "Concerned with shadows casting onto the Central Experimental Farm which could impact the research land."   "Has Agriculture Canada been consulted with?" ( Comments from "City of Ottawa As  We Heard It Report" - January 2023 regarding proposed towers on 780 Baseline Road.) Agriculture Canada and the NCC were never consulted about the 1081 Carling Avenue towers - Ottawa Citizen article.

The future - The Baseline Road transit project will have a devastating effect. "Baseline Road Rapid Transit Corridor". The road is being widened, and 173 residential properties will be affected. The City of Ottawa is taking a 22-foot wide strip of land and a 50-foot "Shelterbelt" or buffer will protect the research property from pollution, wind erosion and salt spray.