Lights out for Leamington greenhouses: Blackout curtains required by October 2023

In the ongoing battle for darker skies, Leamington council hopes a new greenhouse light abatement bylaw strikes a balance between resident concerns and growers' needs.

The municipality of Leamington has scrapped a greenhouse light abatement bylaw that it approved in December 2020 and replaced it with one that requires growers to have blackout curtains installed by October next year and details times when those curtains must be fully closed.

Shortly after the original bylaw came into effect, the municipality said the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) and several greenhouse growers sought exemptions through the Normal Farm Practices Protection Board.

OGVG's executive director Joseph Sbrocchi said many took issue with the fact that the bylaw required them to have their lights off or curtains completely closed between the hours of 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.

He said this is particularly an issue for the ceiling curtains.

"To completely close them as the bylaw originally stated would have literally cooked the tops of those plants within hours," he said.

"Heat and humidity, you need to allow that to escape or what happens is the very tops of the plants where the youngest buds are basically get cooked, getstressed, and then it killspart of your crop or all of it in some cases, if they can't recover."

The new bylaw states that greenhouse growers need to show proof that they have purchased blackout curtains by Oct. 1, 2022 and then need to have these installed on the walls and ceiling by Oct. 1, 2023.

It also states that a10 per cent gap in the ceiling curtains is allowed between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and also between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. to allow heat and moisture to escape.

But ceiling curtains must be fully closed between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. and the wall curtains must be fully closed between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m.

"We feel that this reduces the amount of light that is being emitted and yet is still a balance between what the industry needs," said Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald.

While residents have been complaining about the bright greenhouse lights for years, MacDonald said the October 2023 deadline for growers to have their curtains in place is due to supply chain issues.

She saidsuppliers, installers and industry experts advised that it might be some time before the materials can come in and be put up.

Sbrocchi agreed that while the debate on greenhouse lights has been ongoing for quite some time, ithasn't been a top priority in recent years as the pandemic brought up "more pressing issues."

'Not everyone is thrilled' with new bylaw

Though greenhouse growers agreed to this newbylaw, Sbrocchiadded that "not everyone is thrilled with it."

The main reason, according to Sbrocchi, is that installing ceiling curtains can be difficult to do while crops are being grown.

"Is it perfect? No of course not, but nothing is. A compromise is something that is best for everybody and nobody necessarily is 100 per cent satisfied, but that's okay," he said.

The new bylaw also means that any charges issued under the previous one have been dropped.

While the old bylaw was in place, the municipality of Leamingtonsought court orders against eight greenhouse operatorsthat were not in compliance these have now been thrown out.

With the new bylaw, MacDonald said they are looking to get the fines approved, but said it's likely thatgreenhouse growers can face up to $750 per infraction.

She also said bylaw officers will be monitoringand that they have purchased drones to help with enforcement.

Growers who already have their curtains in place are required to start following the new bylaw and Sbrocchi said the municipality has a list of those who should be in compliance.

Repairing a 'fractious relationship'

As the municipality moves forward with the new bylaw, MacDonald said she hopes this improves their relationship with the local greenhouse industry as it's been "fractious" since COVID-19.

"We need to work together in a cohesive fashion and that to me is crucial," MacDonald said. "Having bad relationships with key employers in your community isn't any way to do business and that industry that hasn't been regulated needs to be regulated in order to have a good way of life for the people that live here."