Vertical farmers say they can play bigger role as Ontario farmland disappears. Critics aren't so sure

Lenny Louis says when people visit his vertical farming facility in Welland, Ont., they’re often surprised by how much produce comes out of that one squat, two-storey building.

But inside, things look very different. Stacked rows of lettuce, arugula and basil grow 365 days a year, and, Louis says, the produce travels less than 200 kilometres to consumers. 

“We’re using five per cent of the land of traditional farming,” the CEO of Vision Greens said.

Vertical farming is defined as growing plants indoors in a stacked formation and a controlled environment. Vision Greens is equipped to grow 700,000 pounds of food a year and its produce is available to consume within 24 hours of harvesting.