Council decision to delay stormwater fees a 'step in the right direction,' says OFA

Hamilton city council's decision to defer its stormwater fee program is "a step in the right direction," says the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

The stormwater incentive program, dubbed the "rain tax" by critics, was meant to go into effect on April 1, 2026 before being delayed to July 2026. In early December, council agreed to defer the program until Jan. 1, 2027. 

Drew Spoelstra is president of the OFA, which represents about 38,000 farm families across the province.

"I think deferral sends a message that they're listening... The councillors are listening... and over the course of the next year and a half, we can continue this conversation and try to find a better result," he said.