Food and Beverage Ontario partners on preeminent report, Growing the Competitiveness of Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector

GUELPH, ON October 5, 2016 – Food and Beverage Ontario applauds the Ontario Chamber of Commerce for leading a collaborative initiative with Ontario agri-food stakeholders on the development and release of Fertile Ground: Growing the Competitiveness of Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector.

 

This report, released today, makes a series of recommendations on how to improve the competitiveness of the agri-food sector. In particular, Food and Beverage Ontario provided input on key priorities for the province’s food and beverage manufacturing sector including:

 

  • Finding rapid ways to reduce and eliminate regulatory burdens and to improve economic impact assessment processes on all incoming policy initiatives.
  • Continuing to work collaboratively with colleges, universities and governments to communicate sector career opportunities for youth and new Canadians specifically through Food and Beverage Ontario’s existing Taste Your Future campaign.
  • Leveraging the innovation research and network development activities led by Food and Beverage Ontario to further promote stakeholder engagement and creative solutions.
  • Ensure food and beverage processing is a central theme in the next Agricultural Policy Framework.

 

“The food and beverage processing sector in this province is a major contributor to the economy generating over $41 billion in revenue and providing 130,000 direct jobs,” said Norm Beal, CEO, Food and Beverage Ontario. “As a member of the taskforce developing the report, it was important for me to speak openly about the challenges processors are confronted with when expanding or considering new investment in Ontario. We know there is tremendous opportunity for sector growth if we take action on pressing issues identified in the report, some of which have been chronic for many years.”

 

FBO has been long committed to Premier Wynne’s 2013 Agri-Food Challenge. With this report, the organization sees a pathway to working with stakeholders and colleagues in not only the sector but within governments and academia to refocus on the Premier’s 2020 goals.

 

The full report can be found here: http://www.occ.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Fertile-Ground_Report.pdf

 

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Food and Beverage Ontario is a not-for-profit, leadership organization advancing the interests of its Ontario food and beverage processor members. FBO’s focus is on the success, prosperity and growth of the food and beverage processing industry. For more information, go to www.foodandbeverageontario.ca

 

Media Contact:

Isabel Dopta
Director of Communications
t. 519.993.1192
e. idopta@foodandbeverageontario.ca

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