MPP Rae’s Growing Agritourism Act Passes Committee Unanimously

[Queen’s Park] – Today, Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington’s bill, the Growing Agritourism Act, 2024, passed clause-by-clause consideration at the Standing Committee on the Interior and was referred to the Legislative Assembly for 3^rd and final reading.

“At its core, this bill will help ensure visitors to our great agritourism operators are aware of the inherent risks associated with visiting a working farm in the Province of Ontario” said MPP Rae. “The aim of the bill is to remove barriers to investment in agritourism and mitigate risks for farm businesses involved in agritourism.”

The Growing Agritourism Act mitigates some of the risks involved with agritourism operations on farms across the province. To benefit from the liability protections included in this bill, operators would have to clearly inform visitors of the inherent risks associated with farm operations through simple signage or a contract.

On Tuesday, Kevin Vallier, CEO of Farm Fresh Ontario, testified to the Standing Committee on the impact of the Growing Agritourism Act on agribusinesses across Ontario.

“This bill serves to address one of the barriers to farm operators identified by our members by providing a reasonable limitation of liability resulting from any harm a participant may sustain during participation in an agritourism activity,” he said.

Darlene Downey, co-owner of Downey’s Farm in Caledon, also spoke before the Committee. “Agritourism can be one of the most important and exciting areas of the province’s tourism sector,” said Downey. “This Act will go a long way in insuring that those who have diversified their farms into agritourism will have a bright future”.

“Agritourism is a bridge between our farm families and our citizens living in our growing cities,” MPP Rae added. “Ontario has the opportunity to be a national leader when it comes to supporting agritourism, and our rural communities.”

The Growing Agritourism Act ensures that farmers have the opportunity to diversify their businesses in Perth-Wellington and across Ontario.

As the first bill of its kind in Canada, the Growing Agritourism Act is a historic piece of legislation, setting a benchmark for other provinces to strive towards.