Red Tape Reform

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Building smarter, outcome-based farm regulation

By Mary Loggan

Government red tape continues to shape how farmers across the province plan, invest and operate, from drainage approvals and crop protection access to transportation and export logistics.

Better Farming recently connected with Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington, Colin Hornby, general manager at Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) to discuss how farmers can deal with red tape, what changes could ease the burden, and the necessary steps for the future.

Practical steps for producers

According to Hornby, farmers should not try to carry regulatory challenges alone. “Reach out to producer groups right away; they may have the resources to help.

“When a project on the farm stalls or a rule seems unworkable, early contact with groups can clarify expectations, identify options and prevent costly delays.”

Hornby adds that engaging with associations is not only about solving a single problem, but about equipping organizations with the information they need to advocate. “This helps the groups be aware of the challenges and be able to adapt advocacy for them.”

He also stresses the importance of detailed recordkeeping. “I’ve seen many projects take much longer than needed; for example, drainage projects that take longer than two years.

“Producers should document timelines, correspondence and impacts – this provides concrete evidence that can be carried to provincial departments or federal regulators as part of a broader push for reform.”

Rae similarly emphasizes the value of strong connections between farmers, farm organizations and government.

He notes that he “had the pleasure of shepherding the Growing Agritourism Act, 2024 through the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, making it the first law of its kind in Canada.

“This legislation breaks down barriers that would otherwise prevent a thriving agritourism sector in Ontario by creating consistency across the sectors.”

Rae also encourages producers to “stay connected with your local commodity and agricultural groups, which often have teams that are dedicated to communicating with government to ensure that information is being shared both ways.

“These groups are generally also in regular contact with elected officials.

“For example, I regularly speak with representatives from various ag organizations and all of the commodity groups such as the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Pork Producers, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Beef Farmers of Ontario, et cetera.”

The CFA outlines a set of practical strategies to reduce the time and paperwork burden on individual operations. Key suggestions include:

• Go digital where possible: Tools like CFIA’s electronic phytosanitary certificates (e-phytos) can save time and reduce paperwork.
• Stay plugged in through farm organizations: Groups like CFA keep members updated on regulatory changes and offer resources to help with compliance.
• Plan ahead for consultations: When the government asks for feedback, try to participate early. CFA is pushing for better timelines that align with farming seasons, so that a consultation on agriculture doesn’t take place during harvest season, for example. Being proactive helps.
• Use farm management software: It can streamline record-keeping and reporting for programs like the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.

Reducing red tape

For Hornby, some of the most acute pressures arise when regulations are slow to adapt or are out of sync with major trading partners.

“On crop protection tools, we see so many delays and access to products that other countries are already using. Things seem to get approved in the U.S. faster, whereas here we can get stuck behind.

“We would like to see a mutual recognition that Canada has the same access to resources as other areas in the world.

“We should not feel like we are behind. Canadian farmers should have access to the same products and be on equal footing with access to the same tools.”

Rae points to opportunities for governments, farmers, and producers to work together to identify artificial barriers to doing business.

“This includes issues like an operator’s ability to access insurance coverage, a problem that the Growing Agritourism Act, 2024 addressed, as well as streamlining processes so farmers and producers can spend more time overseeing their operations instead of doing government paperwork.”

CFA sees significant ‘low hanging fruit’ in several specific areas where red tape can be reduced without undermining safety or environmental goals. These include:

• Regulatory sandboxes: These can act as a controlled environment where new regulatory approaches can be tested before they’re fully implemented. These ‘test zones’ let government and industry try new approaches without risking safety.
• Fast-track approvals: If a product is already approved in a trusted country, Canada should allow provisional registration instead of making farmers wait months.
• Simplify environmental reporting: Exempting agriculture from duplicative programs like CEPA’s greenhouse gas and plastics registries would save time without hurting sustainability goals.
• Update outdated rules: For example, compensation frameworks under the Health of Animals Act need to be modernized so farmers aren’t buried in paperwork during disease outbreaks.

Influencing regulatory reform

Hornby is clear that meaningful regulatory reform depends on a strong feedback loop between farms and the organizations that represent them.

“Engagement with groups is crucial,” he says.

“We need to know what the burdens are. Get involved; there are so many opportunities. Let people know what is going on and bring the problems forward.

“Without that direct input, even well intentioned advocacy risks missing the most time consuming or costly pain points in day to day operations.”

CFA reinforces that farmer voices are most powerful when they are organized and present at key policy tables. It points to three main avenues:

• Join industry-government forums: It’s crucial that farmers and farm organizations take part wherever they can, as so few politicians and Canadians understand the realities of farming.
• Submit feedback during consultations: Pre-budget submissions and committee reviews are great opportunities to shape policy.
• Share real-world data: Showing the actual cost and time burden of compliance makes a strong case for change. The government needs data to back up its decisions, and farmers should provide it to strengthen their case.

Rae emphasizes that clarity and conciseness are effective tools for influencing any kind of reform.

“When there is a clear, concise, and shared message that is factual, describes an issue, and prescribes a solution, the easy part then becomes communicating this messaging with elected representatives.”

He notes that the Government of Ontario is actively seeking feedback on regulations that need to be reformed and streamlined, and encourages farm operators to submit their feedback through the province’s online ‘Share Your Challenges’ survey on regulatory and red tape issues.

Hornby also emphasizes the importance of targeted engagement with decision makers. “If we don’t know about the issues, we can’t work to solve them,” he notes, urging producers to connect not only with farm groups but also with elected representatives and officials.

Looking ahead

Despite ongoing challenges, CFA see reasons for cautious optimism.

They note that “the federal government has made some good moves lately, including commitments to modernize outdated regulations and cut down on red tape, with steps such as simplifying reporting requirements and reducing duplication across departments.

“That said, there are still pain points. Approvals for feed additives, pest control products, and veterinary health tools can take far too long, even when those products are already approved in trusted countries.”

The CFA also points out, “The lack of coordination between federal departments means farmers often end up doing the same paperwork multiple times. So, progress is happening, but it’s slow and uneven.”

Hornby shares the sense of gradual improvement. “We have seen a positive trend in the last few months; governments are more aware of the need not to slow down operations and, in some cases, to pause or reconsider problematic initiatives such as the PMRA transformation agenda that would have caused challenges for crop protection product manufacturers and farmers as well.”

Rae says Ontario is also working on the delivery side of regulation.

“The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is working towards a risk based, client focused, and digital regulatory delivery model to establish a consistent, integrated inspection model across all commodities and adopt modern technology and tools to support industry and inspectors.

“This kind of shift can help align regulatory oversight with practical on farm realities while cutting down on unnecessary administrative burden.”

Looking to the next five years, CFA anticipates several shifts that could make compliance more manageable if implemented well. These include:

• More digital tools: Expect more electronic systems for certifications and compliance reporting.
• Outcome-based regulations: Instead of rigid rules, policies will likely focus on results, giving farmers flexibility.
• International harmonization: Canada may rely more on approvals from trusted countries, speeding up access to new products.
• Integrated reporting platforms: Tools that combine multiple compliance requirements into one system could save a lot of time.

Hornby similarly believes emerging technologies can be part of the solution, provided regulatory systems keep pace. “How do we use AI to our advantage? How can we better use technology? There are so many more possibilities.

“As the world changes so fast, we need to keep up and have the government keep pace.

“We can’t harness the growth opportunities if they are behind. This is how we stay competitive.” BF