OFA Commentary: February 24, 2017
By Peggy Brekveld, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Rural municipalities across the province are feeling the squeeze of funding shortfalls. Changes in provincial funding programs, boundary amalgamations and rising infrastructure costs are among the many causes of strained municipal budgets. These monetary concerns are leaving municipal councils looking around for other funding sources, and that puts a lot of pressure on the property tax system. The 2016 Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) notifications saw an average rise in residential values by approximately 12% and a spike in farmland values by as much as 120% in Ontario. That’s a huge revenue potential for tax dollars for municipalities looking for much needed funds. However, this presents cost challenges to our farm businesses and skews the tax burden to farms. That is why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has been advocating for increased funding to municipalities for years and continues in earnest today, especially with the upcoming provincial budget. One of OFA’s biggest challenges right now is working with rural municipalities across Ontario to help them understand the implications of the new MPAC assessments. As property values go up, taxes rise. Ontario farmers are dealing with a significant shift in tax dollars paid on farmland compared to commercial or residential taxes. OFA and our members across the province understand the importance of proper funding to maintain healthy communities. We all need sound roads, bridges and waterways, schools and hospitals for our rural communities and access to necessary social services. Our members and others working in Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industry make up much of the rural community population living in municipalities. The disproportionately higher rise in farmland values means farmers will be contributing a higher proportion of taxes to their municipalities unless municipalities reduce the farmland tax ratio to less than 25% of the residential rate. The tax legislation anticipated this potential disparity and allows municipalities to make that reduction to better balance the tax burden. OFA is reaching out to many rural municipalities across the province to help them understand the farm tax ratio and the implications of setting farm tax rates. Ontario farmers must be competitive to stay in business. That means keeping our input costs, expenses and taxes at reasonable rates. Rural communities depend on farmers as members of the community, employers, economic contributors and neighbours. OFA understands the restrictive funding situations many municipalities are facing and will continue to work with municipal leaders to secure needed funding to avoid punitive farmland taxation. For more information, contact: Peggy Brekveld Vice President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 807-707-2814 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883
0 Comments
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE and THE ONTARIO FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
For immediate release: February 8, 2017 Environmentalists and farmers urge Ontario to protect freshwater by putting a deposit on plastic bottles In a joint letter, Environmental Defence and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture say a deposit return program would boost recycling rates and generate funds to help protect the Great Lakes from threats like algal blooms. Toronto, Ont. – Environmental Defence and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture — with support from 23 other environmental and agricultural groups — have submitted a joint letter asking the Ontario government to protect freshwater by putting a deposit on single-use beverage containers, like plastic water bottles. “Every year in Ontario, one billion plastic bottles end up in landfills or our environment,” said Ashley Wallis, Water Program Manager with Environmental Defence. “We need to turn this plastic tide. The Blue Box program isn’t working well enough. And deposit return programs, like what the province already has for wine and beer bottles, are a proven way to increase recycling rates.” Plastic pollution is a growing problem in the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water for millions of Canadians and support a quarter of the country’s farms. Currently, about 80 per cent of litter in the lakes is plastic. Ontario also has the lowest collection rate for plastic beverage containers in Canada, at 47 per cent. In comparison, Canadian jurisdictions with deposit return programs collect up to 95 per cent of their bottles. The joint letter states, in addition to boosting recycling rates, a deposit return program could generate an estimated $100 million annually to help protect the Great Lakes from threats such as harmful algal blooms. Lake Erie, in particular, has been plagued by a number of large and sometimes toxic algal blooms in recent years. The lake had its largest bloom ever recorded in 2015. It was so big that it could be seen from space. Ontario has committed to reducing run-off pollution — a key factor behind the blooms — in the lake by 40 per cent. But it needs to put some dollars behind that commitment. The groups say that a deposit return program would help the province achieve this target by funding programs that help farmers maintain and enhance agricultural lands, and reduce nutrient loss. “Ontario farmers take our environment and its sustainability seriously. We are already taking measures and conducting research to reduce algal blooms,” said Keith Currie, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “A bottle levy could help farmers fund and adopt innovative ways to ensure the Great Lakes thrive in the future, while keeping plastic out of our waterways and landfills.” Algal blooms are a serious threat to public health, wildlife, and local economies. In 2014, Pelee Island residents and 500,000 Toledo, OH residents were left without access to safe tap water for days, due to algal blooms on Lake Erie. If action isn’t taken to tackle the problem, it is estimated that the economy of southwestern Ontario could see a loss of $5.8 billion during the next 30 years. Download the full letter. About ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is Canada's most effective environmental action organization. We challenge, and inspire change in government, business and people to ensure a greener, healthier and prosperous life for all. About THE ONTARIO FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE (ofa.on.ca): The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 36,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact: JenMayvilleEnvironmentalDefence;416-323-9521ext.228;905-330-0172(cell); [email protected] Keith Currie, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture; 705-441-4223; [email protected] By Mark Reusser, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) took part in the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) annual conference this week. ROMA represents the municipal councils we work with every day to build a solid business environment and better communities across Ontario. A critical issue facing rural communities is the need for infrastructure. Our farms, other rural businesses and rural residents need and rely on sound bridges, roads, drainage, and information technology. We share the desire with ROMA to secure sufficient funding for dependable infrastructure. OFA has included rural infrastructure as one of the key items in our pre-budget submission to the provincial government. OFA is specifically asking the government for a solid investment in municipalities to support the roads, bridges, drainage, and connectivity that are vital to grow and maintain our food system in Ontario. Rural municipalities have a disproportionately large stock of infrastructure compared to the local tax base. That’s why OFA is strongly recommending that government work with municipalities across rural Ontario, and with ROMA, to develop and adopt a cost-effective infrastructure replacement programs. Increased investment comes with the responsibility to ensure the projects are efficiently built, using the best available technology. We recognize that provincial budgets are strained and are committed to working with municipalities to build and grow rural Ontario. OFA works together with ROMA, the Wardens’ Caucuses and rural municipalities directly to share ideas and look for solutions to keep our rural communities strong and supported. Farmers are property tax payers who must remain competitive. This means healthy provincial investments, efficient construction and a real desire to enable rural Ontario and our communities to grow and prosper. -30- For more information, contact: Mark Reusser Vice President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-591-4223 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 Guelph, ON [February 2, 2017] – Rural Ontario received a boost with the recent announcement of two programs to grow our communities. The renewed Rural Economic Development (RED) program and the new Natural Gas Grant Program were both announced by the Ontario government earlier this week at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) welcomed the renewal of the RED program that will provide $5 million in funding every year to support community economic development. The program supports local initiatives to enable rural municipalities and partners to diversify and grow their local economies. Applications for the RED program funds are already open for submission at omafra.gov.on.ca. “Investment in our rural communities is what Ontario needs right now,” says Keith Currie, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “Rural Ontario has great potential for economic growth through community engagement and revitalization. The renewed RED program will support some great initiatives this year.” OFA is encouraged by the government’s recognition of the importance of expanding natural gas to rural Ontario with the Natural Gas Grant Program. The program will provide $100 million in grants to support the building of natural gas infrastructure and enable more communities to access to a lower cost energy source. Applications for the Natural Gas Grant Program will be available in spring 2017. “Natural gas is the most important investment that will give rural Ontarians, including farms and businesses, the competitive edge to drive growth,” says Currie. “OFA looks forward to working with the government to develop a real program to secure natural gas access throughout rural Ontario. This will require a longer term commitment to rural investment and we’re working to make this happen.” The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 36,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer. For more information: Keith Currie President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 705-441-3362 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 |
Archives
February 2024
Categories |