Ontario Local Food Act Passes Third Reading, Includes Tax Credit for Donated Food

by

The first-of-its-kind Local Food Act has passed third reading and will become Ontario law. Third time’s a charm for Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, who has had a similar bill fail two times, once because of an election and the second time because of prorogation.

Included in the bill are several points, but the focus is to make more local food available in markets, schools, cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants; increase local food awareness; and boost sales by setting local food goals and targets.Of note, the act will also create a non-refundable tax credit of 25 per cent for farmers who donate their surplus harvest to eligible community food programs such as food banks, and proclaim a Local Food Week that will take place annually, beginning the first Monday in June.   

According to Ontario’s provincial government:

  • The Local Food Act will also require the government to produce an annual local food report on its activities to support local food.
  • Ontario’s Local Food Fund is part of a $30 million investment from the province to create jobs and support innovative local food projects over the next three years. For full details of the Local Food Fund, including eligibility and accessing the Local Food Fund click here:

Wake up with RealAgriculture

Subscribe to our daily newsletters to keep you up-to-date with our latest coverage every morning.

Wake up with RealAgriculture

Please register to read and comment.

 

Register for a RealAgriculture account to manage your Shortcut menu instead of the default.

Register