The plan includes natural gas expansion and reliable Internet options
By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) priorities for the June election and beyond are centred on economic development across rural Ontario.
Areas of focus in OFA’s Producing Prosperity plan include a public investment into natural gas expansion, reliable Internet availability and support for community services like hospitals and schools.
The plan also outlines how investments into rural communities can help rural and urban populations thrive, according to Keith Currie, OFA president.
“We’re trying to find out what we can do that could benefit all of Ontario and get people to buy into what’s good for agriculture,” he said during the Ottawa Valley Farm Show. “We’re looking for ways that we can have long-term strategic investment into those rural communities, so we can not only retain the businesses that are there but we can also attract new businesses.”
Part of the challenge OFA faces is educating provincial politicians about issues that are unique to rural Ontario.
Doug Ford, the newly elected Progressive Conservative leader, worked in his father’s label business in Etobicoke, Ont., and Andrea Horwath, leader of the New Democratic Party, was raised in Hamilton. Ont.
Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne grew up in Toronto, Ont. She served as minister of agriculture and food from Feb. 2013 to May 2014, but all candidates need to be reminded of rural Ontario’s voice, Currie said.
One of the major benefits rural Ontario brings to the provincial economy is job creation, he added.
“I don’t know of a politician on any level that isn’t interested in job creation,” Currie said. “We know that economic development will create jobs and that’s a win-win for everyone.”
Urban Ontario is important to rural Ontario’s success too, because proper roads and bridges in the urban part of the province helps farmers’ products get to processing and export facilities, Currie said.