A Workshop for Municipal Councillors and Volunteers Join OMAFRA in their upcoming free interactive workshops to learn the basics of economic development. You will take away practical tools to help your municipality develop and implement an economic development strategy. The workshop will: • Provide you with a model of how to understand basic...read more
Learn how Durham Farmers put food on your plate: Durham Farm Connections, a volunteer-based organization, provides agricultural education opportunities for farm and non-farm communities in Durham Region to ensure the viability of the agriculture sector. Through popular initiatives like a Grade 3 Program, a High School Program, an Open...read more
Attention Planners and Economic Developers: OMAFRA has released draft PPS Guidelines on permitted uses in Ontario’s prime agricultural areas, which have been posted for a 90-day commenting period. OMAFRA is interested in discussing the content of the draft Guidelines and receiving your input. As these Guidelines closely affect farmers,...read more
The Local Food Fund has made its way to Hamilton, helping to support in the expansion of a successful local bakery in the city’s east end. Gala Bakery, owned and operated by the Janosevic family since 2002, has been growing in size and popularity since its beginning for their...read more
On Tuesday, November 4, members of the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance gathered at Queen’s Park to meet with Ontario MPPs and Ministers to advance the conversation on food and farming, and in particular our Action Plan for the Golden Horseshoe. Our 10-year Action Plan provides a road...read more
The Town of Caledon has made amendments to its Official Plan (OPA 237) in an effort to enhance opportunities for agriculture-related uses, after concluding that existing policies needed to be adjusted to better reflect provincial policies and encourage value-added agriculture through secondary use and on-farm diversification methods. The key...read more
Last month Hamilton’s planning committee paved the way for new city rules that would allow more urban farms and community gardens – clarifying the rules for growers, defining the areas and what can be grown there. Previously, urban farms in Hamilton have only been allowed in certain limited areas,...read more