I have 100 acres of rural land one hour away from Toronto. Zoning restrictions prevent me from putting any cabins, bunkies, or tents for camping on it. Any ideas on how to monetize this land or workarounds? I live on the land and wish to turn it into a nature retreat. It has easy access to the 401 and is surrounded by no neighbors. The town has informed me that rezoning is the only way forward, but I’ve been advised that it’s essentially a cash grab for the town.
Consider setting up an area for paintball or similar activities. You can have a check-in area with parking, where people can rent gear and set up teams.
Kim said:
Consider setting up an area for paintball or similar activities. You can have a check-in area with parking, where people can rent gear and set up teams.
Also, reach out to Airsoft or MilSim organizations to see if they’d be interested in renting the property for events.
Kim said:
Consider setting up an area for paintball or similar activities. You can have a check-in area with parking, where people can rent gear and set up teams.
Thank you! 
Kim said:
Consider setting up an area for paintball or similar activities. You can have a check-in area with parking, where people can rent gear and set up teams.
Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Kim said:
Consider setting up an area for paintball or similar activities. You can have a check-in area with parking, where people can rent gear and set up teams.
I was about to suggest paintball too!
Despite zoning limitations, there are still ways to profit from your land. You could lease it for farming, tree harvesting, or grazing animals. Another option is to offer it for hunting, fishing, or outdoor events like weddings and workshops. You could also create recreational activities such as ATV trails or guided nature hikes. Leasing space for solar panels or wind turbines, or partnering with environmental groups for activities or research might also be worthwhile. While rezoning seems costly, exploring temporary permits or consulting a land use expert could help find workarounds.
@Blake
Thanks for the ideas!
Consider Airbnb tiny houses on wheels. You can move them occasionally if needed, but they’re not permanent structures.
You could establish a solar farm. Setting up trails for off-roading and inviting people to 4x4 could also work.
Set up an outdoor archery range with marked targets and charge patrons per visit.
That sounds challenging. Have you checked if you can legally host events like weddings or retreats without permanent structures? That might be a workaround. Otherwise, rezoning can be tough. Connecting with other landowners in the area could yield useful suggestions.
Vitt said:
It’s strange you can’t put any cabins or tents on the land. It’s 100 acres; how would they even find out?
What about parking an RV or trailer? It’s not a tent, technically.
Consider offering boat, RV, and equipment storage. Alternatively, if farming is an option, growing sweet corn could be quite profitable if sold directly.
You could turn it into an event location for company BBQs, weddings, or birthday parties.
Kim said:
You could turn it into an event location for company BBQs, weddings, or birthday parties.
An event venue sounds great!
If you’re near the 401, you might have access to hydro lines; perhaps setting up a solar farm is an option.
What about creating a corn maze?
Hire a lawyer to help you navigate the restrictions. You can pay them to advise you on ways to legally achieve what you want.
Create a secure, fenced area where dog owners can bring their dogs to run and play. It’s becoming popular in the UK and could be managed easily with online bookings.