Two Ont. changes in 2023 affect ag and rural communities

Jan 03, 2023

One amendment will support ag and horticultural societies

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Multiple legislative changes came into effect in Ontario on Jan. 1, 2023.

Of the 16 that did, two relate to the province’s agricultural sector and rural communities.

The Ontario government made amendments to the Agricultural and Horticultural Act to ensure the province’s 483 agricultural and horticultural societies can receive support.

To offset decreases in memberships because of COVID-19, the government is reducing the number of members a horticultural and agricultural society needs. This will help these organizations continue to receive government grants.

The government proposed this amendment on Oct. 6, 2022.

Agricultural societies can receive up to $5,000 while horticultural societies can receive up to $1,500.

For horticultural societies, each one will only need 25 members instead of 50. Except in territorial districts, where the membership threshold will be reduced to 15 members instead of 25.

And for agricultural societies, 40 members are required instead of 60.

Another regulation taking effect in 2023 could change how farmers and Ontarians pay their electricity bills.

The provincial government is creating a voluntary Ultra-Low Overnight Price Plan (ULO) for customers paying Regulated Price Plan (RPP) electricity rates.

Ontario allowed the public to provide feedback on this idea from August to September 2022.

RPP prices are set based on a forecast of how much it will cost to supply electricity to RPP customers for the year, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) says.

The OEB will be required to communicate with local distribution companies to allow RPP customers to switch to the new ULO plan.

The OEB will be required to set ULO rates by May 1 with the rates taking effect around November.

The ULO would “support electrification and decarbonization by incentivizing customers to shift electricity loads to overnight periods when demand is lower and more electricity from non-emitting sources is available,” the government’s decision says.

Video: Canada's Agriculture Day 2025

Let's celebrate Canadian agriculture.

Well, number one, you don't eat without farmers. Farmers put food on the table. And what could be more important than that?

Well, I think it's important that Canadians understand exactly what takes place, what happens to produce this food, no matter what sector you're talking about.

An awful lot of work goes into that. It's important to understand that meat does not come out of a showcase, and milk does not come out of a bottle. It's produced by farmers and hard work.

Canada has the best farmers in the world. And agriculture is vital to Canada.

In 2024, our agriculture and agri-food sector represented $150 billion of Canada's GDP, nearly $100 billion of our exports, and one in nine jobs.

From grains to fruits to dairy and beef, we are truly blessed with an incredible bounty. Having spent my whole life in agriculture, I see so much potential for the sector.

This time last year, I was proud to open our first-ever agriculture and trade office in the Indo-Pacific, the world’s fastest-growing economy, to cement our presence in the region and grow our exports even more. We've also been making historic investments to help our farmers to boost their yields, protect the planet, and earn a fair living.

The world wants more top-quality, sustainable food, and I know our Canadian farmers can deliver. And it's so important that you do that with pride. We need you.

Quite simply, you eat the most top quality food in the world. You do that because of the quality of farmers and ranchers you have in this country.

Just say thank you to a farmer or a rancher. They work very hard, yes, for a living, but also with a sense of pride in what they produce.

That's what Canada's Agriculture Day is all about.