WSIB premiums increase Thursday, January 3, 2013 by SUSAN MANN Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board premium rates for all employer rate groups including the farming ones went up by 2.5 per cent this year. Lynden-area horticultural farmer Ken Forth says nobody wants an increase “but it’s pretty marginal.” Workplace Safety and Insurance Board spokesperson Christine Arnott says the increase went into effect Jan. 1. In a press release last October announcing the rate change, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board chair Elizabeth Witmer says the increase is necessary to reduce the organization’s unfunded liability, which has grown to $14.2 billion. While the premium rate increase may add costs today, the retirement of the unfunded liability will result in lower premiums and strengthen the competitiveness for Ontario businesses in the longer term, she says. Forth says costs, such as medical care, treatments plus rehabilitation programs, have skyrocketed during the past 20 years. “That’s also why there’s an unfunded liability too. The costs just went up and they (WSIB) did not put the rates up to keep up with that problem.” Still Forth, a former director of agriculture for WSIB, says it’s an insurance system that actually does work. “There are a lot of dedicated people who really do a hell of a good job.” He notes that the premiums apply to not only full-time, year-round employees but also seasonal agricultural workers who come to Canada as part of the seasonal agricultural worker program. For every $100 of payroll, the rate changes in 2013 compared to 2012 are: Livestock farms – $7.09 from $6.92, Field crops along with fruit and vegetable operations – $2.84 from $2.77 Tobacco and mushroom farms – $5.15 from $5.03 Fishing and miscellaneous farms – $3.67 from $3.58 Poultry farms and agricultural services – $3.27 from $3.19 BF Ontario's agriculture industry weighs sweet study Working together to save the indispensable honey bee
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