For immediate release
December 5, 2007
PC’s pave way for farm signage across Ontario
MPP’s Hardeman, Barrett score victory allowing farm highway signage
Queens Park – Farmers across Ontario are now free to encourage consumers to, “buy Ontario” through roadside highway signage thanks to provincial Conservatives.
Late yesterday the Ontario Legislature gave unanimous third reading support to Bill 98, Signage to Promote Ontario Produced Agricultural Products Act. The Private Members Bill introduced by Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman allows farmers to post seasonal, directional signage on privately owned agricultural land adjacent to highways.
“This has been a long and now rewarding road leading to today’s victory,” Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Barrett stated after the bill’s passage.
Barrett went on to explain the impetus for the bill came from the struggles of local asparagus grower, Charles Emre to display his “Fresh Asparagus for sale” sign on the side of Highway 24.
"It was a year ago last summer that Mr. Emre’s sign first went missing,” Barrett recounted. “He was understandably angry at being denied the ability to promote his Ontario grown product - my staff did a search, discovered the sign in the MTO yard in Brantford and made arrangements for it to be returned."
When, after arranging to post the sign in a private field beyond the ministry's road allowance Mr. Emre received a “cease and desist” letter from MTO the year, Barrett’s office contacted PC Agriculture Critic Ernie Hardeman. As Barrett’s randomly selected private members bill time was not until March 2009, he forwarded the Oxford MPP’s legislative staff the background information that became the foundation of Bill 98.
Barrett expressed disappointment that Ontario Municipal Association lobbying led to the removal of a section of Bill 98 that would have included municipally governed highways, but highlighted the immediate benefits that the Act’s passing represents.
"I was heartened that MPP Hardeman would take up this cause on behalf of Mr. Emre and farmers across the province facing legislative red-tape hurdles in attempting to market locally grown product,” Barrett concluded.
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