Ongoing supply chain issues are of significant concern for Ontario’s Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG). With multiple factors coming together throughout the pandemic, food system issues around timing, availability and affordability are particularly acute in the fresh produce sector.

For transportation to be cost-efficient, trucks need to move from south to north, and back again. The regularity of those movements has been disrupted and now freight costs are double or more. Haphazard availability of produce will be a predictable outcome. And the disruptions will hit the fresh nutritious produce Canadians have come to take for granted, much more quickly than other food areas. 

“We would ask governments on both sides of the border to examine and monitor for unintended consequences of policy decisions on key sectors such as fresh produce,” said George Gilvesy, chair of OGVG. “Recent policy decisions on both sides of the border have exacerbated existing supply chain pressures.”

“Balancing essential services – such as food delivery – with important public health risks has been and will continue to be a challenge across North America”, said Joe Sbrocchi, executive director of OGVG. “However, food provisioning is a critical dependency of our society and we must all ensure we get the balance right.”

OGVG remains committed to actively working with all levels of government and key stakeholders to ensure public safety, limit supply problems, facilitate transport and help ensure that Canadians continue to have access to fresh, nutritious, and affordable food.

Ontario growers have 3,500 acres of greenhouse-grown tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers under cultivation with another 450 acres to come on stream in the near future. 

Source:  Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers January 28, 2022 news release