Province one step closer to delivering natural gas to rural Ontario Thursday, February 26, 2015 by SUSAN MANNThe province took another step towards delivering natural gas to rural Ontario when the Ontario Energy Board issued a letter last week asking interested companies to propose plans for gas distribution.The Feb. 18 letter from the province’s regulator of electricity and natural gas sectors invited parties “with appropriate financial and technical expertise” to propose one or more plans for natural gas distribution.”Gas expansion was a hot discussion topic on Monday at the combined annual meeting of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association/Ontario Good Roads Association, says Don McCabe, Ontario Federation of Agriculture president. The meeting ran until the end of day today.The federation and many municipal leaders made it very clear to the government that they want gas expansion sooner rather than later, he notes.From a farm perspective, natural gas expansion is progressing slower “than what we’d like because, bottom line, it’s a very necessary piece of infrastructure,” McCabe says.The federation has been asking the province to expand natural gas delivery to rural communities and McCabe says federation members are pleased with the Energy Board’s latest step.But there are still a number of steps to go before construction of any infrastructure projects can begin, he cautions.The energy board says in its letter the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure will use $200 million of its $230 million budget for Natural Gas Access loans over two years to help communities partner with utilities to extend access to natural gas. The remainder will be used to fund Natural Gas Economic Development grants “to accelerate projects with clear economic development potential,” the letter says.But first the ministry must establish policy on how the grant and loan money can be used and what the program criteria will be, McCabe says.As well, the energy board has regulations on expansion “that need to be considered.” And that means “we’re still a ways off in getting the money totally out the door and getting the process started.”Construction of the infrastructure to extend natural gas to rural Ontario will likely begin later this year or next year, McCabe says. BF Food hub survey Oxford County dairy farmers earn top score
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online