Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae’s bill, the Growing Agritourism Act, has passed its third and final reading.
It will receive Royal Assent next week and officially become law.
Rae told MyStratfordNow the legislation helps to “remove barriers to investment in agritourism across Ontario.”
He adds that the act creates conditions that give agribusiness operators elements they need to open up their farms to the public.
“I heard from those in the sector that if this bill is passed…more people will have that stability and confidence to make those investments. Hopefully, we’ll see more and more agritourism operators across Perth-Wellington and Ontario.”
It’s the first legislation of this kind in Canada, and the act ensures that visitors to Ontario’s agritourism operators are aware of the inherent risks associated with visiting a working farm.
“It’s a way for our farm families to diversify some their income if they choose to do so.”
And with a recent Ontario Federation of Agriculture survey noting that more than 40 per cent of members expressed an interest in offering some form of agritourism on their farm, Rae said that “agritourism in Ontario is a vibrant sector ripe for growth.”
