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Bill to promote local food in Ont. passes final vote

November 5, 2013, Toronto, Ont – Ontario is moving forward to help promote the good things that are grown, harvested and processed in Ontario with the recent passage of the Local Food Act, 2013.

“The Local Food Act will benefit people by making the connection between buying local and helping grow an important Ontario industry,” said Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Agriculture and Food. “If we increase demand to homegrown food, we will create jobs and boost the agri-food sector’s contributions to our economy. It’s an important and historic step forward and I thank everyone who helped support this legislation.”

The new legislation is part of a strategy to build Ontario’s economy by making more local food available in markets, schools, cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants. This will create jobs and expand the province’s agri-food sector.

The new legislation – the first of its kind in Canada – will increase local food awareness, and boost sales by setting local food goals and targets in consultation with sector partners. The act will also create a non-refundable tax credit of 25 per cent for farmers who donate their surplus harvest to eligible community food programs such as food banks, and proclaim a Local Food Week that will take place annually, beginning the first Monday in June.  

Building a stronger agri-food industry is part of the government’s economic plan to support a dynamic and innovative business climate, invest in people and invest in infrastructure.