Ontario's Liberals quantify election promises with numbers, budget

Thursday, June 5, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

The Liberals’ plan to provide $40 million a year for the next 10 years for job creation in the agri-food sector as part of a larger jobs and prosperity fund is one of the centerpieces of the party’s agricultural priorities, says a spokesman.

“Ontario has a great agri-food sector based on products that are grown and animals that are raised right here in the province and it’s second to none,” notes Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal, who’s also the province’s rural affairs minister. “We’re going to use that distinctive Ontario advantage to create more jobs in the agri-food sector and build upon our success today.”
 

The $40 million annually for the agri-food sector is part of a $2.5 billion jobs and prosperity fund the Liberal government had in its spring budget that was defeated by New Democrats and Progressive Conservatives, a move that catapulted the province into this election.

“We have a very detailed program for rural Ontario developed by the people of rural Ontario and the Premier (Kathleen Wynne) in her role as minister of agriculture and food has been leading many initiatives,” Leal says. The agri-food sector contributes $36 billion to the province’s GDP and is second only to the auto industry as an economic driver in the province. The agri-food industry “is going to be our pathway for greater exports and greater job development in the future,” he notes.

Better Farming requested this interview be with Premier and Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne but was unsuccessful in getting her for it.

About the business risk management program funding, currently capped at $100 million a year, Leal says the Liberals put this innovative farm support program in place after extensive consultations with all the commodity groups in Ontario. It was introduced in 2011 but then the government announced in its 2012 budget it was capping total spending on the program at $100 million a year.

The province has been funding the program on its own after the federal government refused to put its share of funding in, Leal explains. Normally funding for risk management programs are shared between the two levels of government at a rate of 60 per cent federal and 40 per cent provincial. “We’ve been asking for years now that the government of Canada treat Ontario fairly and come to the table and fund their portion of this risk management program to make it most effective for our farmers,” he says.

The Liberals are “committed to keeping the $100 million cap in place,” he notes, but they’ve also changed the management of the insurance fund “to make it more effective for people to participate in.” The government has allowed the farmers’ premiums to be retained in a commodity-managed fund to be used in years when the government funding for the program isn’t enough.

To address farmers’ escalating hydro costs, Leal says they’ve been looking at extending natural gas infrastructure into the rural areas of Ontario. “We have a $200 million initiative that would allow municipalities to access those funds to extend natural gas infrastructure into their communities.” There’s also a $30 million grant program for farms and businesses “that are going to take advantage of natural gas and reduce their reliance on electricity, propane and fuel oil.”

The Liberals priorities for agriculture are contained in two documents – Opportunity for All and Clean, Sustainable and Liveable Communities. Among their plans are:

• Create a Farms Forever program to help landowners protect prime agricultural land close to major urban centres.
• Enhance the Greenbelt by working with communities as part of a Greenbelt review to expand the Greenbelt’s outer boundary over the next six years.
• Explore further opportunities to develop agriculture in the north, including making Crown land available to farmers who commit to bringing the land into agricultural production.
• Implement an insurance program to help beekeepers with acute bee losses.

Some of the plans included in the two documents that have been previously announced include:

• Provide $75 million for a Wine Strategy, which includes support for grape growers.
• Invest $30 million over the next three years to encourage innovative local food projects that celebrate the rich diversity of foods produced and made in Ontario.
• Up to $500 million in funding over the next five years to support the horse racing industry in Ontario.
• Implemented strategies designed to mitigate the impacts of neonicotinoid treated seeds on bee colonies. BF