Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker has announced the Ontario government is providing $24,806.27 to support local agricultural and horticultural societies.
This investment will help these organizations continue to operate and support their important efforts to educate people about the value and significance of agriculture in the province.
“I am grateful for this support for our local agricultural and horticultural societies. Over the past two years the COVID pandemic has resulted in financial pressures on these important organizations,” said Walker. “Across Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound our local agricultural and horticultural societies play a vital role in our communities.”
Receiving funds are:
Arran-Tara Agricultural Society: $1,470.78
Chatsworth Agricultural Society: $1,085.62
Chesley Agricultural Society: $1,000.00
Chesley Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
Desboro Agricultural Society: $1,180.96
Dundalk District Agricultural Society: $1,000.00
Durham and District Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
Durham Agricultural Society: $1,233.46
Feversham Agricultural Society: $1,321.50
Hanover and District Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
Hanover, Bentinck & Brant Agricultural Society: $1,000.00
Markdale and District Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
Markdale Agricultural Society: $1,185.99
Meaford and St. Vincent Agricultural Society: $1,243.57
Neustadt and District Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
Neustadt Normanby Carrick Agricultural Society: $1,059.93
Owen Sound Agricultural Society: $2,718.56
Paisley Agricultural Society: $1,000.00
Rocklyn Agricultural Society: $1,091.29
Sydenham Agricultural Society: $1,214.61
Tara Horticultural Society: $1,000.00
The funding is part of the Agricultural and Horticultural Support and Recovery Funding Initiative. This new funding builds on previous investments of more than $7 million to assist these organizations across the province over the past two years.
There are two streams to this round of funding.:
- Base Support Funding will be issued to all eligible Agricultural and Horticultural Societies through funding payments of $1,000 as a means of supporting their continued incorporation and activities.
- Hardship Funding for eligible Agricultural Societies will provide additional support which will be based on reported gate revenues from 2019. This will help off-set operating losses, liabilities, and fixed overhead costs related to land and buildings.
“Ontario’s agricultural and horticultural societies have long-enriched communities throughout the province and we look forward to them continuing to make significant contributions, from main street beautification projects to hosting the long-standing tradition of agricultural fairs, throughout the province in 2022,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “These investments reflect the value of the societies’ contributions and our government’s recognition of the pandemic-caused pressures these organizations have been weathering.”
Agricultural and Horticultural Societies play a critical role in educating Ontarians on the importance of agriculture and celebrating a rural way of life. Supporting this important sector, at this time, will ensure the long traditions and economic contributions of the societies will continue and strengthen as the province manages the impacts of COVID-19 and moves forward into the future.
