February 22, 2024

The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance applauds the Ontario government's introduction of the Keeping Energy Costs Down Act, 2024. 

Flamboro, February 22, 2024

The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance welcomes today’s introduction of the Keeping Energy Costs Down Act, 2024. The legislation is an important signal from the Ontario government that provides needed clarity on the provinces managed and practical transition towards electrification and a net zero energy grid. This legislation will ensure that Ontario’s energy transition is practical and inclusive of a broader range of economic and social impact considerations.

Included in the legislation is equally important direction to ensure that future Ontario Energy Board decisions provide opportunity for a broader range of engagement and testimony from sectors and stakeholders that will be impacted by OEB decisions.

“Ontario’s greenhouse sector is a critical part of our domestic food and agriculture security and a leader in sustainability and production innovation, said Jan VanderHout, president of the Ontario Greenhouse Alliance. I applaud the government for introducing this legislation and ensuring that sectors like ours have an opportunity to participate in future decisions of the OEB”.

“The challenges of agriculture and food production around the world – providing safe, affordable, sustainable and secure agriculture products – means providing more of Ontario’s greenhouse products to consumers here at home and around the world”, said George Gilvesy, Chair of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. “I’d like to thank the Ontario government for this legislation ensuring a fair and managed approach to Ontario’s energy transition”.

“TOGA and its members will be active participants in supporting Ontario’s energy transition”, said Ed Vermolen, President of Flowers Canada (Ontario). We will remain a committed partner to shared, sustainable and secure agriculture production with a relentless mission to our continued success here at home and around the world”.

About TOGA

The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance (TOGA) represents Flowers Canada (Ontario) (FCO) and Ontario’s Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). Together we represent more than two thirds of Canada’s greenhouse production with almost 1,700 farms, working nearly 5000 acres of production and employing more than 38,000 people across Ontario. We fundamentally believe that greenhouse farms are good for food security and good for sustainable prosperity.

December 10, 2020

Pride in our responsibility to continue safely growing quality local products in Ontario.

Click and take a moment to enjoy our holiday video. 

“Ontario’s greenhouse farmers have struggled like, many businesses across the province in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. But greenhouse growers, their families and their employees have risen to the challenge – continuing to grow quality local products while ensuring the safety and well-being of greenhouse workers and their families. Although we are not able to celebrate the holiday season with our annual Poinsettia and Veggie reception – we wish you happy holidays.”

Jan VanderHout, President, The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance

This has been a difficult and stressful year for Canada’s agri-food sector. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s greenhouse farmers have struggled, like many businesses across the province. But greenhouse growers and their employees have risen to the challenge – continuing to grow quality local products while ensuring the safety and well-being of our workers, our families and our communities.

We are thankful for the ongoing support we have received from all levels of government and elected members from all parties.

Our growers take great pride in their responsibility to produce safe, sustainable local products. We continue to focus on our top priority: ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees. At the same time, the crisis has highlighted the need for resilient local agriculture production.

As we begin to emerge from the crisis and plan for our economic recovery, we believe that the greenhouse sector will play a critical role in supporting the well-being of Ontarians, Canadians and consumers around the world.

Although we are not able to celebrate the holiday season with our annual Poinsettia and Veggie reception we wanted to send you and your family season’s greetings. In lieu of our annual reception this year we have made a donation to the Plentiful Harvest Food Rescue Program – an organization that works to reduce hunger by rescuing large quantities of food—fresh and prepared—for packaging and redistribution to those in need in communities in Southwestern Ontario and for distribution to food banks across Ontario.

We wish you good health and good fortune and hope to see you soon.

Media Release– November 9, 2020

Ontario’s greenhouse growers support Ontario’s budget approach

Flamboro, ON - The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance (TOGA) applauds the Ontario government's responsible and sustainable approach outlined in the last week's budget. TOGA acknowledges the practical and transparent fiscal approach focusing on protecting, supporting and recovering.

TOGA’s members have struggled like many businesses across the province to secure their businesses in the face of the covid-19 pandemic, while ensuring the safety and well-being of workers and their families.

The budget also outlined a number of important investments that will benefit our members particularly with regard to infrastructure and energy costs.  The continued commitment and actions from the provincial government to support businesses and workers in the agri-food sector will be met with an equal commitment to safe, sustainable and local production from the greenhouse sector.

'In the proud tradition of Ontario farmers, we meet the challenges of our sector by constantly innovating and improving our practices and the covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented disruption to our sector, said Jan VanderHout, President of TOGA.  “Working together between our sector and the government of Ontario we can we can meet these challenges and ensure a bright future for this province”.

"We appreciate the difficult fiscal circumstances that Ontario faces and applaud the prudent approach taken by this government to manage this challenge,” said George Gilvesy, Chair of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers.  “Ontario’s greenhouse growers have been and will continue to be a partner in moving this province forward."

“Our members will continue to do what is necessary to ensure the continued production of safe, sustainable and local production here in Ontario,” said Jan VanZanten, Chair of Flowers Canada (Ontario).   “The partnership between our sector and the provincial government will benefit growers, workers and consumers across the province.”

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The Ontario Greenhouse Alliance (TOGA) is a strategic partnership between the two organizations representing Ontario’s greenhouse floriculture growers and Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable growers.