Governments Reach Landmark Agreement to Strengthen Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector in Niagara
Vineland Station – Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, joined Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Hon. Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Niagara West, today, as a witnessing signatory to the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a landmark agreement that will help unleash the potential of local growers and farm families across Ontario and Niagara.
Farmers and the province’s wider agri-food sector will benefit from the targeted investments of the new, five-year agreement between the governments of Canada and Ontario, ensuring growers and farm families across Ontario continue to lead the world in food production, food safety, innovation and sustainable practices. The agreement will provide a wide range of investments that will help improve productivity, competitiveness and resilience in the provincial agri-food sector and enable the province to meet goals outlined in the Grow Ontario Strategy.
The negotiated agreement will see upwards of $1.77 billion in support for the agri-food sector in Ontario over the life of the agreement. Through the Sustainable CAP, $569 million will be invested in strategic initiatives, which is a twenty-five percent increase over the previous funding agreement. There will also be roughly $1.2 billion for continued, demand-driven, business risk management supports for farmers.
The Sustainable CAP will also boost investments in research and innovation and other strategic areas to strengthen the sector. The agreement will include the launch of the new Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP), a funding initiative to mitigate climate change and support the agricultural sector in better addressing sustainability outcomes.
“The Sustainable CAP is a collaborative effort by the governments of Canada and Ontario to invest in sustainable agriculture, ensure the resilience of production and supply chains and grow the agriculture and food sectors in Ontario,” said Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
“Building on the leadership of industry, we can seize new opportunities that will allow farmers to contribute to food security here in Canada and around the world, all while growing their businesses.”
“Our agri-food sector plays an invaluable role in this province. It is an economic powerhouse and the reliable provider of so many different, safe, high-quality and delicious foods that we all enjoy,” said Hon. Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
“This agreement will create new opportunities to make this world-class sector even stronger and position it to sustainably grow during and well beyond the term of this pact.”
Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, was joined by Vance Badawey, MP for Niagara Centre, to sign the federal/provincial agreement as witnesses.
“It is significant that this historical agreement was signed in Niagara, one of the most productive and diverse growing regions in the country,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
“This agreement will support growers and farm families in Niagara and across the province for years to come.”
The Sustainable CAP starts on April 1, 2023, and replaces the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership). The programs will support the vision and priorities the federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers agreed to in 2021 in The Guelph Statement.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) is a five-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal‐provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities by federal, provincial and territorial governments.