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The Town of Leamington is moving ahead with legal action against 12 greenhouse operators for violating a new light pollution bylaw.
Inspectors discovered 23 greenhouses violating the Greenhouse Light Abatement Bylaw between January and March, according to a report that went to town council this week.
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Registered letters outlining the violations and potential consequences went out to the property owners. Twelve of them still haven’t complied, the report states.
A lawyer for the town has submitted five applications for a court order requiring the operators to permanently stop using grow lights unless it’s in compliance with the bylaw. Another seven applications are in the works.
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January 20, 2021
Photo courtesy of Oreon.
Ontario greenhouse growers are facing a new, serious challenge: local light pollution bylaws, and the impact of these measures on their crops.
“While nuisance regulations that protect property rights are not new, the greater adoption of supplemental lighting is getting the attention of both neighbours and municipalities,” says Kurt Parbst, director of business development at Envirotech Cultivation Solutions. “Bylaws are being adopted and considered in Canada – as well as the U.S. – that create a guiding framework that actually help protect neighbours and growers. While having rules or a defined minimum standard is helpful, it creates some technical challenges.”