The Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council (OACC), a coalition of 29 non-supply managed commodity organizations, works together to present common issues, goals, and opportunities as well as represent a broad sector of Ontario's agricultural organizations as a united front. Together these organizations represent approximately $8-Billion in annual market receipt (ref: OMAFRA Statistics Website) for the agricultural industry in Ontario and provide meaningful long term employment to thousands of Ontarians each year.
Increasing electricity cost are negatively effecting Ontario’s agricultural industry’s ability to remain nationally and internationally competitive. Members of the OACC including those in livestock, ornamentals and horticulture, but especially those in the production of crops grown in climate controlled facilities have seen increased costs of electricity which position them at a disadvantage compared to other neighbouring regions. This disadvantage has resulted in a desire to better understand the overall impact of electricity costs, analyze data towards developing public policy solutions and communicate the specific challenges and opportunities the industry is facing.
This Request for Proposal aims to collaborate and review the member’s impact concerns as well as identify meaningful public policy solutions. An analysis of the impact of the electricity prices on the industry’s starting from the removal of an agricultural and manufacturing electricity rate in 2003 would be the basis establishing a purpose for policy changes.
Goal
The goal of this project is to publish a White Paper that brings awareness of energy issues facing the Ontario agriculture industry and determine meaningful policy solutions and recommendations that address these energy concerns.
