Markets across Ontario are using an online format or implementing strict safety protocols for vendors to sell safely to customers amid the COVID-19 crisis
By Jackie Clark
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Farmers markets across Ontario are implementing safety protocols as the province moves through the phases of reopening. Under the provincial COVID-19 emergency order, farmers markets are essential businesses that primarily sell food, however, each individual market must comply with municipal and local public health unit regulations to operate safely.
Many involved in organizing and running farmers markets believe that municipal governments should treat them as food retailers, not as special events.
“(Farmers markets) are part of the food chain,” Catherine Clark, executive director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, told Farms.com.
“The majority of markets will be opening,” she said.
Farmers’ Markets Ontario established safety protocols and best practices for either in-person multi-vendor markets or e-commerce markets.
“Those guidelines were developed in conjunction with public health,” Clark said. Initially, the regulations allowed only food sales, which excluded many vendors who sell artisan crafts and other non-food products.
Farmers’ Markets Ontario received a letter on June 5 from Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, providing an update.
Prior to the update, non-food vendors “were certainly not invited because it wasn’t part of the whole COVID plan. Now, as of June 5, (markets) are open to artisan and non-food products,” Clark explained.
Market organizers are “revising (their) plans with public health to include those other (vendors),” she said. “We have some markets that are introducing a few at a time. Right now, the markets are trying to handle the distancing protocols in place for a physical market. As they work through challenges on a weekly basis, then they re-evaluate and bring on a few others to add to the vendor base.”
Protocols include proper spacing, no communal seating, no use of customer-supplied containers, and a written plan for traffic flow to allow for physical distancing.
Many markets had been encouraged to move to an online platform, with curbside pickup. Market staff, volunteers and vendors have worked hard to sort out the technology and logistics to adapt to this format, Clark said. Online systems might even have brought new shoppers to the markets.
Markets facing challenges to accommodate local regulations are relocating to facilities that allow them to run a physical or e-market.
“Some of the markets in Toronto are relocating,” Clark said.
Farmers’ Markets Ontario officials felt it was important to take leadership in providing direction for markets in the province, regardless of whether they were members of the organization, through this difficult time.
Progress towards opening and running markets this year is due to the strong will of farmer vendors, Clark said, as well as the staff and volunteers.
They are responsible for the “innovative ways each market is trying to pull through this whole COVID situation,” she said.
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