Protecting Farms, Strengthening Food Security, and Building Rural Prosperity

Agriculture and the agri-food sector must have the attention of the Ontario Liberal Party every day. Any serious economic policy for Ontario must treat food and farming as central to the province’s future. Agriculture is an economic engine, a foundation for food-security, a rural development strategy, an environmental stewardship partner, and a source of jobs and innovation across Ontario.

Lee’s Plan

1. Keep farmers farming

The Risk Management Program (RMP) should be strengthened immediately and reviewed every year. Ontario committed to increasing RMP funding from $150 million to $250 million over three years. The province should deliver the full increase now to counter the current international market turmoil and continually review the program to meet shifting realities. Business risk management should be simple, bankable and responsive. That means better alignment between RMP, AgriStability, Production Insurance, forage rainfall programs, wildlife damage compensation, and other sector-specific tools. The Ontario government must invest in agricultural research and innovation to tackle risks such as climate and weather, pest and disease, biosecurity and food safety, trade and input/output prices and environmental regulation. Federal and provincial governments and stakeholders should work together to support intergenerational transfers, and create pathways for new entrants.

2. Protect farmland

Ontario should require meaningful agricultural impact analysis before major land conversions, settlement boundary expansions or infrastructure projects affecting prime farmland. Relying on local politics isn’t sufficient because, as more farmers are pushed out of the industry, farmers’ voices continue to diminish at municipal councils. Agricultural impact assessments should be completed early enough to shape decisions, include meaningful consultation and use consistent provincial standards. The province should also explore land preservation tools in collaboration with farmers, such as farmland trusts, to keep Class 1, 2 and 3 land in potential food production or to preserve wetlands or grasslands and other natural features.

3. Grow it here, process it here, buy it here

Ontario should invest in regional and medium-scale abattoirs, help provincially licensed plants reach new markets, reduce unnecessary duplication between provincial and federal rules, and support worker training. Ontario should capitalize on partnerships through the federal National Food Security Strategy to expand the Ontario Food Terminal, and create new regional food hubs in eastern, northern and southwestern Ontario. Ontario should support independent grocers, schools, hospitals, long-term care homes and food banks to buy more Ontario food.

4. Respect supply management and strengthen each sector on its own terms

Ontario should defend supply management in trade negotiations and oppose further concessions that weaken domestic production. Non-supply managed sectors need competitive business risk management, research funding, and business supports. The government must be vigilant about the balance between supply managed and non-supply managed sectors competing for land and make adjustments accordingly.

5. Solve the veterinary access problems

Large-animal vets are essential for livestock health, animal welfare, biosecurity, and emergency response. Ontario should continue to expand veterinary recruitment and training to support rural and large-animal placements. Support team-based veterinary services and improvements to the Veterinary Assistance Program to help with retention.

6. Invest in soil, water, climate resilience and practical stewardship

Farmers should be treated as partners in environmental stewardship because their livelihoods depend on it. Ontario’s agriculture policy should support practical environmental outcomes by maintaining or expanding soil health and conservation funding. Investments in research, extension services, insurance tools and infrastructure will help combat the effects of climate change. Ontario should develop practical incentives for preserving soil carbon, nutrients, wetlands, buffers, pollinator habitat and source water, while protecting productive farmland and respecting farm economics.

7. Modernize regulation without weakening health, safety or public trust

Ontario should continue to review agricultural red tape with farmers and processors at the table to achieve faster approvals, clearer rules, consistent inspections, and better service standards. Regulatory modernization must not weaken safety and environmental protection. It should mean timely, predictable, science-based rules.

8. Build public trust, food literacy and respect for farmers

The Ontario government should champion a strong connection between rural and urban Ontario. This includes agricultural education in the school curriculum, 4-H expansion into cities, fairs, agricultural societies, food literacy campaigns, and opportunities for urban leaders and residents to visit farms and meet farmers.