Bradford is placing additional restrictions on hosting “mega” events on farmland.
During its Feb. 4 meeting, council approved the Jan. 21 recommendation to change the town’s special events bylaw and among other things, prohibit events of more than 2,000 people from occurring more than once every 10 years on any property outside the settlement boundary, Highway 400 employment lands or town-owned lands.
Ward 4 Coun. Joseph Giordano’s request for a recorded vote saw most members in favour and only Mayor James Leduc, Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu and Ward 1 Coun. Cheraldean Duhaney opposed. Ward 2 Coun. Jonathan Scott was absent.
While there was no further conversation or debate from councillors, several residents participated in open forum earlier in the meeting to voice both support and opposition for the new rule.
Bilal Ghumman said he is a resident in town and member of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at (AMJ) Canada who worried about the potential impacts on the group's plans for the 2025 Jalsa Salana convention at its 3078 Line 11 property.
“In 2024, we fulfilled a long-held dream by hosting our annual convention on our farmland, creating a space of unity and celebration,” Ghumman said.
He had hoped their application for this year would be successful. But now, he worried it wouldn’t even be considered because “our event was misrepresented.”
“We urge the council to reflect on the broader implications of these decisions and ensure that inclusivity and due process remain at the heart of Bradford’s policies,” he said.
Ward 3 Coun. Ben Verkaik put forward the amendment that led to the 10-year limit, and previously explained it was to “protect our agricultural lands,” after he heard updated figures about the rate at which farmland is being lost in Ontario — about 129 hectares per day, based on figures from Statistics Canada.
Based on a Jan. 21 report from chief administrative officer Geoff McKnight, the town has only issued eight special event permits since 2008, including for Ribfest (2013, and 2015-17), Chilifest (2015) and Food Truck Fest (2016) — all of which took place on then vacant properties near Zehrs at 500 Holland St. W.
Only two were on agricultural properties, and both were for AMJ’s Jalsa Salana convention including a pilot event in 2022 at 3999 Sideroad 10 and the first full-scale outdoor conference in Bradford in 2024 at 3078 Line 11.
Denis Jakac, a resident living near those properties who has regularly shared concerns about allowing the event in Bradford, said he wanted to show “very, very heavy” support for the amendment. That was especially in light of potential 25-per-cent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods/produce, and potential retaliatory tariffs on American goods/produce.
“Now is not a time where we should be looking at eliminating the farmland,” he said, noting that in the 25 years he’s lived in town he’s seen most of the farmland west of Professor Day Drive/Melbourne Drive as far as Sideroad 10 “get swallowed up.”
Jakac suggested it would be better to host events at designated venues in order to help preserve the remaining agricultural lands, for which the town is known.
“That’s why we have Carrot Fest,” he said, suggesting that if farmland isn’t protected there might not be any local carrots remaining.
However, Fazal Kahloon said his family comes from generations of farmers and still urged council to reconsider the amendment, as the economic and social consequences could be “more damaging than anticipated.”
Based on his background, Kahloon said he understands the need to find “innovative ways” to generate income from agriculture operations, especially as he has also seen “large portions” of Bradford’s farmland “vanish under concrete” over the years.
“Farmland loss isn’t caused by community events — it’s urban sprawl,” he said, noting agricultural protection is being used as a reason to “impose unnecessary restrictions.”
In light of possible tariffs, Kahloon said it was more important than ever for farmers to have access to alternative revenue sources, and even suggested the bylaw could be inconsistent with Canadian values.
He pointed to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, under which Section 2 protects freedom of peaceful assembly.
“This is not a debate between preserving farmland and allowing events; both can exist with proper regulations,” Kahloon said.
Mara Aron, another local resident who has repeatedly voiced issues with the location of the event, said access for emergency services is the “No. 1 reason,” she urged council to approve the amendment.
As someone who lives on a dead-end street with no way to drive in or out, other than from Sideroad 10, Aron remained worried about the implications of traffic from the event.
“If anyone on our street — a loved one or a child — needs emergency services, you’re not getting to us that day, unless you are going to bring a helicopter in,” she said, emphasizing that in an emergency “every second is of the essence.”
Prior to open forum, the mayor explained representatives of AMJ had requested to make a deputation, but he asked they not include that in the Feb. 4 meeting and AMJ “graciously” agreed.