Ottawa's neighbours to the south are fighting to save a piece of local history. Residents of Kemptville, a town about 45 minutes from downtown Ottawa in North Grenville, gathered for a rally Tuesday demanding that Premier Doug Ford's government scrap plans to demolish the former Kemptville Agricultural College farm and replace it with a jail.
A Community Landmark on the Chopping Block
The Kemptville Agricultural College has been a fixture of the region for over a century, once training generations of Ontario farmers and serving as a hub for agricultural research. Since the college's closure, the farmland has remained a green space valued by the community — but the province now has other plans.
The Ontario government intends to build a new correctional facility on the site, a move that has blindsided many longtime residents who see the farm as part of the area's identity. Protesters gathered with signs and spoke out against what they call a shortsighted decision that prioritizes institutional infrastructure over agricultural heritage and green space.
Why Ottawa Should Pay Attention
While Kemptville sits outside Ottawa's official city limits, it's very much part of the capital region's orbit. Many Kemptville residents commute into Ottawa for work, and the town is often considered part of the broader Ottawa Valley community. Decisions made about land use in North Grenville ripple outward, affecting everything from regional traffic patterns to the availability of farmland that has historically supplied food to Ottawa-area markets.
The farm has also served as an informal green space for outdoor enthusiasts from across the region, including Ottawa residents looking for a quieter countryside escape without a long drive. Losing that land to development — especially a jail — has struck a nerve well beyond Kemptville's borders.
What Residents Are Saying
Organizers of Tuesday's rally say they aren't opposed to new correctional infrastructure in principle, but argue the province could have chosen a site that doesn't require demolishing a historic working farm. Several speakers pointed to the loss of arable land at a time when food security and local agriculture are increasingly seen as regional priorities.
CBC Ottawa's David Fraser was on the ground covering the rally, capturing the frustration of a community that feels its concerns have been overlooked in the provincial planning process.
What's Next
As of now, the Ford government has not indicated it will reconsider the jail's location. Residents say they plan to continue pushing back, with more organizing expected in the weeks ahead as the province moves forward with its plans.
For Ottawa-area residents who value the surrounding countryside and its agricultural roots, the Kemptville fight is a reminder that development pressures in the wider capital region don't stop at the city's official boundary.
Source: CBC Ottawa
