Kathleen Wynne, Letter To The Editor: Ontario's Horse Racing Industry.

The new Ontario government believes in a strong, sustainable future for the horse racing industry in this province. We have a plan, guided by the report of the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel, for a way forward that will put the industry on a sustainable path – and while we’ve already made a lot of progress, we know there is more work to be done.

We have committed up to $180 million to support the industry over the next three years as it adapts to a smaller and more sustainable model. Agreements for transition funding have been signed with 12 racetracks and there will be horse racing at 15 tracks right across the province this season. Details about those agreements are publicly available on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website.

Last week, I was happy to announce that the government would support the Horse Improvement Program – which will total up to $30 million in each of the next two years – to give Ontario’s vibrant racehorse breeding industry the confidence that there is a future here for Ontario-bred racehorses.

The Horse Racing Transition Panel has spent hundreds of hours working with stakeholders. In their report, they recommended a new market-driven model that works for the industry and is good public policy. This model will include integrating horse racing with the modernization of the province’s gaming strategy, which will provide additional revenue sources for racetracks.

I have asked the Panel to consult with industry over the summer and to present a detailed a plan for the future of horseracing in Ontario by October 2013 that would see the industry take ownership for its long term future success. Those consultations will begin on June 21^st, and I encourage everyone who has an interest to share their views.

I know how important the horse racing and breeding industries are to the culture and economy of communities across Ontario, and that is why our government will continue to work with the industry to ensure that it has a strong, sustainable future.

- Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Agriculture and Food

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

OFA responds to time-of-use electricity pricing proposal

The provincial government is proposing a new electricity pricing plan

Wheat Market Outlook - January 26, 2026

Market Outlook - Wheat Western Canadian export wheat bids picked up $2 per tonne week-over-week at the port and seeing some similar strength at inland locations. Bids have been relatively flat with basis improvements being thrown at producer bids to entice product into the system when needed. The markets are watching if cold weather in the United States and Black Sea wheat production regions will threaten any crop conditions in these areas. The market sits comfortably for the time being but will keep its focus onto winter wheat conditions in the Black Sea, European Union and United States. Aside from this, demand drive is what the market will need to see to chew away at some of the increased stocks that have ended up on the global balance sheet. As for Western Canadian wheat values, we are anticipating a neutral outlook for the coming weeks ahead as we currently sit in a demand driven market and global supplies have grown as Australia and Argentina wrapped up their harvest. Producers w

Webinar Practical Approaches to Managing Stock Water

Even water that looks clean and clear can be poor quality — and insufficient access to good-quality water can reduce beef cattle performance faster and more dramatically than any other nutrient deficiency. This February 18 webinar will explore the hidden risks of poor-quality water, discuss its implications for herd health and productivity and provide practical tools and strategies to ensure your cattle have clean, safe and adequate water supplies. Register for the live webinar to hear from our panelists: Dr. Cheryl Waldner with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Saskatchewan beef producer Karla Hicks. This webinar will be available for?one continuing education (CE) credit for veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists and technicians across Canada. WHEN IS THE WEBINAR? Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 7:00 PM MT 6:00 PM in BC? 7:00 PM in AB 8:00 PM in SK and MB 9:00 PM in ON and QC 10:00 PM in NS, NB and PEI 10:30 PM in NFLD Duration Approximately 1 hour.

IAFP 2026 Registration Now Open

The International Association for Food Protection will hold IAFP 2026, the Association’s Annual Meeting, July 26–29, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Registration and housing are now open via the Association website at: foodprotection.org. IAFP 2026 will feature hundreds of technical papers, posters, and symposia, detailing current information on a variety of topics relating to food safety. The quantity and quality of contributed presentations provide information on the latest methods and technologies available. In addition to the science-based presentations, the four-day meeting will include committee and Professional Development Group (PDG) meetings and an awards banquet. In addition, more than 140 companies will exhibit their products and services throughout most of the conference. The IAFP Annual Meeting has earned recognition as the leading food safety conference worldwide and is attended by top industry, academic, and governmental food safety professionals. This broad mix of attendee

AAFC staffing cuts threaten agricultural research capacity and ROI for farmers

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) is deeply concerned by the news that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is eliminating 665 staff positions across the country as part of plans to slash the department’s budget by 15 per cent over the next three years. “These staffing cuts, and related impacts at AAFC research stations, represent a tremendous loss for Canadian agriculture,” said CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk. “It is a loss of not only expertise and people who have contributed to farmers’ success, but also of agricultural research capacity that is crucial to fuelling innovation and maintaining progress throughout the industry.” AAFC has long been a key research partner that western Canadian farmers have trusted with significant investment on their behalf, including $19.9 million over three years as part of the CWRC’s current core breeding agreement (CBA) with AAFC. Canadian agriculture’s global reputation for quality and its competitiveness in international markets depen

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service