NEWS RELEASE
JILL DUNLOP, SIMCOE NORTH MPP
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Today, Randy Pettapiece, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, joined Jill Dunlop, MPP Simcoe North, for a roundtable at Operation Grow in Midland to discuss how to further reduce red tape and unnecessary regulatory burden for the agriculture sector.
“We’re committed to reducing red tape and easing regulatory burden for our farmers and agribusinesses so they can be more profitable, create jobs and grow more of the safe, high quality food we all enjoy,” said Pettapiece.
Farmers and agribusiness representatives gathered to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the agriculture sector in their region of the province, discussing ways to strengthen and grow Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industry.
“Our farmers and agribusinesses are the experts when it comes to knowing how best to expand and support Ontario’s agriculture sector, which is a key driver of the provincial economy,” said Dunlop. “Thank you to our local farmers and agriculture leaders for coming together to provide their insight and advice on how our government can help them to succeed and be more competitive.”
The roundtable is one of several meetings, which have been held with the farming community and agriculture industry.
Since last June, the Ontario government has taken a number of steps in removing obstacles to investment, growth and job creation in the province’s agriculture sector.
This fall, the Ontario government will introduce legislation that, if passed, would save agricultural and horticultural organizations and their volunteers time and money by removing burdensome and outdated rules that regulate these societies.
Quick Facts
- Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector is a key driver of the provincial economy, contributing $39.5 billion to the GDP and supporting more than 822,000 jobs.
- A research paper from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in Toronto shows Ontario has the highest cost of complying with regulations of any province — $33,000 per business per year. This is well above the $25,000 to $27,000 range in most other provinces.
- On April 2, the Ontario legislature passed the Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act. The Act will reduce regulatory burdens in 12 sectors (including agriculture), helping job creators thrive, create and keep good jobs.
