The Ontario government is investing $3 million to launch the new Farm Washwater Innovation and Stewardship Efforts (Farm WISE) Fund for farmers growing vegetables in the Holland Marsh area. As part of the province’s plan to protect Ontario, this initiative supports healthy communities and a strong local agri-food economy by helping farmers adopt new and innovative technologies to protect the Lake Simcoe watershed, which is vital to the local agricultural community, residents and tourism industry. 

“The Holland Marsh is Canada’s most productive vegetable growing region and we’re giving farmers the tools they need to keep the region’s watershed a cleaner, safer place to grow food, work and raise families,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “This new fund is just one of the ways our government is empowering communities to protect the air, land and water in Ontario for generations to come.”

Known as Ontario’s “soup and salad bowl”, the Holland Marsh area produces more carrots, celery, onions, lettuce and greens than any other single region in Canada. The Farm WISE Fund was developed to help farmers adopt technologies to improve water use on farms and treat water that has been used to wash produce, which will help reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the watershed.

The ministry is currently accepting applications until October 5, 2025. Eligible farmers in the Holland Marsh area can receive up to $375,000 per project to fund these improvements.

This investment is part of the ministry’s commitment to reduce phosphorus and restore the ecological health of the Lake Simcoe watershed and the Great Lakes through the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan and the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Great Lakes Water Quality and Ecosystem Health.

"On behalf of the Holland Marsh Growers Association (HMGA) we would like to thank the Ontario Government for their support and continued investment in agriculture,” says Tim Horlings, HMGA chair. “With this investment, farmers will be able to upgrade and improve the tools they have to further their productivity and sustainably feed Ontario. At the end of the day farmers are the stewards of the land, and the Ontario Government is helping them with another piece of the puzzle to achieve their goals. We would also like to thank MPP Mulroney for always being a champion for the farmers and the Holland Marsh."

Source:  Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks August 5, 2025 news release