Published 29 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
On Greenbelt land you can generally continue existing uses and build a single dwelling on an existing lot of record if the zoning allowed one when the Greenbelt Plan came into force. New lots are discouraged, agricultural lots have minimums of 40 hectares in prime agricultural areas and 16 hectares in specialty crop areas, and key natural features carry a minimum 30-metre vegetation protection zone. On the Oak Ridges Moraine, only existing uses, agriculture and very limited new uses are permitted in Natural Core and Linkage Areas, and new lot creation outside Settlement Areas is very restricted. The 2023 Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act returned the 15 areas removed in 2022 and means boundaries can now only be changed by legislation. Do not pay a price that assumes future development.
Why these plans matter to a land buyer
Much of the rural land around the GTA sits inside two provincial plans. The Greenbelt Plan covers the Protected Countryside around the region. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan covers 190,000 hectares of land and water across the Moraine north of Toronto, under Ontario Regulation 140/02. Both sit above municipal official plans and zoning: a municipality cannot approve what the provincial plan does not allow.
That makes the plan designation the first thing to check on any rural parcel. A lot that looks like a building lot may not be one, and land that looks like a future subdivision almost certainly is not. When I review rural land, I start with the provincial maps, then the official plan, then the zoning.
The 2023 reversal: what Bill 136 settled
In December 2022 the Province removed or redesignated 15 areas of Greenbelt land for housing. In 2023 it reversed that decision. The Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 received royal assent on 6 December 2023. According to the Province’s decision notice, it:
- returned the 15 areas, about 7,400 acres, to the Greenbelt;
- kept the roughly 9,400 acres added to the Greenbelt in 2022;
- restored protections for the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve; and
- means Greenbelt boundaries can now only be changed by legislation, not by regulation.
For buyers, the lesson is practical. Do not pay a premium for Greenbelt land on the theory that it will be opened for development. The legal bar to change is now higher than it was before 2022.
What you can build in the Greenbelt’s Protected Countryside
| Situation | What the Greenbelt Plan says |
|---|---|
| Existing uses | All existing uses are permitted |
| House on an existing lot | A single dwelling is permitted on an existing lot of record, if it was zoned for one when the Plan came into force |
| Second unit | Outside the Natural Heritage System, second dwelling units are permitted within single dwellings or existing accessory structures |
| New lots | Lot creation is discouraged; limited cases include surplus farm dwelling severances |
| Agricultural lots | Minimum 40 hectares (about 100 acres) in prime agricultural areas and 16 hectares (about 40 acres) in specialty crop areas |
| Towns, villages and hamlets | The Plan generally does not apply; the municipal official plan governs |
The zoning at the time the Plan came into force matters. Before you offer on a Greenbelt lot, ask the municipality to confirm in writing that a dwelling is permitted on that specific lot, and whether any natural feature limits where it can go.
Natural features: the 30-metre and 120-metre rules
The Greenbelt Plan protects key natural heritage and hydrologic features such as wetlands, streams, lakes and significant woodlands. Around them it sets a minimum 30-metre vegetation protection zone. Development proposed within 120 metres of a key feature needs a natural heritage or hydrological evaluation to set the actual protection zone.
On top of the provincial plan, conservation authorities regulate hazards under Ontario Regulation 41/24, in effect since 1 April 2024: watercourses with a defined bed and banks, hazardous lands, shorelines, wetlands and 30 metres around wetlands. Development there needs a permit. On a rural lot with a creek or wetland, these rules can leave a small building envelope, or none. See conservation authority regulated land.
The Oak Ridges Moraine: four designations
| Designation | Share of the Moraine | What is allowed, per the Province |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Core Areas | 38% | Only existing uses, agriculture and very restricted new resource management, low-intensity recreation, home businesses and infrastructure; no new aggregate extraction |
| Natural Linkage Areas | 24% | The same as Natural Core, plus some aggregate operations |
| Countryside Areas | 30% | Agricultural and other rural uses; natural features protected |
| Settlement Areas | 8% | Urban uses and development as set out in municipal official plans |
The Province describes the policies on creating and developing new lots in Natural Core, Natural Linkage and Countryside Areas as very restrictive, and the Plan also limits impervious surfaces outside Settlement Areas. If a parcel sits in a Settlement Area, the local official plan and zoning do most of the work, as they would elsewhere.
Buying rural land inside the plans: my checklist
- Plan designation. Greenbelt Protected Countryside, Natural Heritage System, Moraine designation or Settlement Area. Confirm on the provincial and official plan maps.
- Lot of record and zoning. Written confirmation that a dwelling is permitted on this lot.
- Features. Wetlands, streams and woodlands on or near the lot, and the conservation authority’s mapping.
- Servicing. Almost always a private well and septic system. See septic and wells on rural lots.
- Farm status. If it is farmland, HST and assessment questions are different; see below.
- Survey and title. Rural boundaries, rights-of-way and old fences are common problems.
For a broader list, see what to check before buying land in Ontario.
Price, tax and the sale of farmland
Land inside these plans should be priced for what it can do today: a house on an existing lot, farming, recreation or a rural residence. Comparable sales should be from land under the same designation, not from land in a nearby Settlement Area.
Two tax points come up often. Land transfer tax follows the usual Ontario brackets; land with one or two single family residences pays the extra 2.5 percent bracket above $2 million, and bare land does not. And HST on farmland is different from vacant residential land: the CRA’s info sheet on farmland sold by individuals says such sales are usually taxable, with exceptions such as sales to a relative for personal use. Read HST on land sales in Ontario and ask your accountant.
The AI land value estimator below gives you a range for a lot or acreage in about a minute, from the same inputs a buyer’s appraiser starts with.
If you are selling Greenbelt or Moraine land
Sellers get the best result by being clear about what the land is. Put the plan designation, the zoning, the conservation authority mapping and the servicing details in front of buyers from the start, and market to the buyers the land suits: people wanting a rural home, hobby farms, equestrian users or neighbouring owners. Our guide on how to sell vacant land in Ontario covers the documents. If you want a realistic read on a rural parcel, book a call or phone 833-330-1925.
Free tool — AI land value estimator
Land Valuation
What’s your land
worth today?
Three quick steps. Land doesn’t price like a house — what you’re allowed to build on it, how far along the approvals are, and whether services reach the lot line move the number more than anything else. This weighs all of them.
Reading recent land sales…
Estimated land value
—
$0–$0
Most likely $0 · about $0 per acre · $0 per buildable sq ft
What moved the number
Starting from what comparable land in your municipality trades for, here’s what your specifics added or subtracted.
What would raise it
Approvals are the biggest lever on land. Here is what each next step is worth on this parcel.
—
Development sites are listed at $1
for a reason.
Sellers let the market price them — and the market only pays for what it can see: the planning file, the servicing letter, the environmental reports. A model can’t read your file. I can, and I know which developers are buying right now.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build a house on Greenbelt land in Ontario?
Often yes, if the lot is an existing lot of record that was zoned for a single dwelling when the Greenbelt Plan came into force. The house must still respect natural features, including the minimum 30-metre vegetation protection zone around wetlands, streams and significant woodlands, and any conservation authority permit. Get written confirmation from the municipality before you buy.
Was the Greenbelt removal reversed?
Yes. The Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 received royal assent on 6 December 2023. It returned the 15 areas, about 7,400 acres, removed or redesignated in December 2022, kept the 9,400 acres added that year, restored Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve protections, and made Greenbelt boundaries changeable only by legislation.
Can I sever a lot on Greenbelt land?
Lot creation in the Greenbelt’s Protected Countryside is discouraged. Agricultural lots must be at least 40 hectares in prime agricultural areas and 16 hectares in specialty crop areas, and limited exceptions include surplus farm dwelling severances. Most rural owners cannot create a new building lot. Speak to the municipality’s planners before you spend on a consent application.
What can you build on the Oak Ridges Moraine?
It depends on the designation. In Natural Core and Natural Linkage Areas only existing uses, agriculture and very limited new uses are permitted. Countryside Areas allow agricultural and rural uses. Settlement Areas, 8 percent of the Moraine, follow municipal official plans. New lot creation outside Settlement Areas is very restricted.
Is Greenbelt land a good investment?
Only for what it can be used for today. The 2023 legislation means boundaries can now only be changed by an act of the legislature, so paying a premium for future development is a speculation on politics. Buy Greenbelt land for a rural home, farming or recreation, priced against similar land under the same designation.
Sources
- Environmental Registry of Ontario — Greenbelt Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 decision (019-7739) — royal assent 6 December 2023
- Government of Ontario — Greenbelt Plan (2017), PDF — sections 3.2.5, 4.5 and 4.6
- Government of Ontario — Greenbelt Plan — how to read the Plan
- Government of Ontario — Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan — four designations, O. Reg. 140/02
- Hamilton Conservation Authority — Conservation Authorities Act and new O. Reg. 41/24 — in effect 1 April 2024
- Canada Revenue Agency — GST/HST Info Sheet GI-002, Sales of farmland by individuals
- Government of Ontario — Calculating land transfer tax — provincial brackets
- Government of Ontario — Septic systems
Related reading
- Septic and wells on rural lots
- What to check before buying land in Ontario
- Conservation authority regulated land
- HST on land sales in Ontario
- Lot severance in Ontario
- How much is my land worth?
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every figure here comes from a published table, regulator or statute linked in the sources, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 833-330-1925, or book a call.