Province Invests In Local Food Initiatives

Ontario is encouraging local food sales by supporting marketing projects across the province.

To promote the local foods that fuel the people, communities and economies of rural Ontario, the province is investing in six new projects through the Ontario Market Investment Fund, including:

• “Buy Local” initiatives for Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, Essex, and Haldimand
• A local distribution network for Eastern Ontario’s organic farmers
• A promotional campaign for Ontario-grown berries.

With the announcement of these new projects, the four-year Ontario Market Investment Fund program has invested more than $2.7 million in 52 projects to date.  The program helps develop economic opportunities through trade events, marketing campaigns and industry research initiatives that promote Ontario foods.  It is also part of Ontario’s enhanced investment in ‘buy local’ initiatives.

QUOTES

“The Ontario Market Investment Fund is helping these communities boost their economies and protect the environment by supporting efforts to sell fresh foods that are grown and made close to home,”
    - Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

QUICK FACTS

• The Foodland Ontario program has expanded to include meat, dairy and eggs in addition to fresh fruit and vegetables.
  
• The agri-food industry contributes more than $33 billion to the Ontario economy and employs about 745,000 people.
• The Ontario government is investing $24 million over three years to develop the logistics to get more Ontario-grown food into the province's schools, hospitals, food service companies and other institutions.

LEARN MORE

About the Ontario Market Investment Fund program, and the projects it helps finance.
About Pick Ontario Freshness.

Backgrounder

Ontario Market Investment Fund New Announcements

Grown in Windsor-Essex

Visitors to Essex County’s restaurants and casino will soon be more likely to find Ontario-grown foods on the menu.  The Windsor-Essex Development Commission and the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association are working together to promote the wide variety of locally grown foods to the community, boosting the local economy and providing consumers with safe quality products fresh from the field or greenhouse. The province is contributing $47,500 to this project.

Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Map

If you’re looking for fresh produce in Chatham-Kent, you’ll be able to locate it quickly with the Buy Local! Buy Fresh! map that will showcase the availability of local foods in the region.  The map will be available free of charge at local municipal offices, libraries, events and sponsors and partners listed on the map.  The province is contributing $9,275 to this project.

Sustainable Distribution Systems for Ottawa

Eastern Ontario’s organic farmers will be working together to better market their products as the Ottawa Chapter of the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) connects organic farmers with local retail and institutional markets. The COG will also expand its existing farm tours to raise awareness of sustainable agriculture. The province is contributing $25,000 to this project.

Finding Farm Fresh Products in Essex County

The Essex County Federation of Agriculture will develop, promote and distribute a “Buy Local” map to increase consumer awareness of the products available throughout the County. Through map distribution and a marketing strategy which includes advertising and signage, the Federation aims to create closer relationships between consumers and the County’s agricultural community.  The province is contributing $21,000 to this project.

Ontario Berries

It will be easier to find fresh, Ontario-grown berries beyond the traditional growing season as the Ontario berry industry will be promoting their products to retailers through retail contests, media and trade events and advertising. In recent years Ontario farmers have extended the berry production season by adopting new technologies and introducing new varieties. The province is contributing $51,000 to this project.

Harvests of Haldimand

The Harvests of Haldimand Local Food Guide and Culinary event will develop a network between food producers, retailers, restaurateurs and tourism-based businesses, to increase awareness of the health and environmental benefits of local foods and its role in stimulating local economic development for the county. The province is contributing $22,000 to this project.

For more information, contact: