Bill 130 explained in plain English
Promoting Local Food Act, 2012
Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 40th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
This bill enacts the Local Food Act, 2012, enabling the Minister to set local food goals and consult on them, and amends the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act to expand the Minister's program creation powers.
The Promoting Local Food Act, 2012, aims to strengthen Ontario's local food systems and economies. It allows the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to set goals and targets for local food, and to collect information from public sector organizations to help achieve them. The Act also designates a specific week as Local Food Week. Additionally, the bill amends the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act to allow the Minister, in addition to the Lieutenant Governor in Council, to establish programs for the betterment of agriculture, food, and rural affairs in Ontario. These programs can have delegated administration and require public posting of any orders made.
- Enacts the Local Food Act, 2012.
- Amends the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act.
- Establishes Local Food Week.
- Empowers the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to set goals and targets for local food.
- Requires the Minister to consult with relevant organizations before setting or amending goals and targets.
- Allows the Minister to direct public sector organizations to provide information to help establish or assess progress towards goals and targets.
- Amends the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act to allow the Minister to establish programs for the betterment of agriculture, food, and rural affairs.
- Maintains the Lieutenant Governor in Council's power to establish such programs upon the Minister's recommendation.
- Specifies that orders for program creation must be published on a government website and archived.
- Allows for the delegation of program administration under certain conditions.
- Changes the name in one clause of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act from 'agriculture and food' to 'agriculture, food and rural affairs'.
- The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Public sector organizations in Ontario (ministries, agencies, municipalities, universities, colleges, boards of education, hospitals, long-term care homes, and other prescribed organizations)
- Organizations with an interest in local food goals and targets
- Farmers, food processors, distributors, retailers, and restaurateurs in Ontario
- Ontarians generally
- The Minister must consult with interested organizations before establishing or amending local food goals or targets.
- Public sector organizations must provide information to the Minister when directed, by the specified deadline.
- Orders establishing programs must be published on a Government of Ontario website and archived.
- Municipal councils must appoint valuers if a program requires it for damage assessment to livestock or poultry.
- The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent, with specific exceptions.
- The Schedules to the Act come into force as provided in each Schedule.
- Schedule 1 (Local Food Act, 2012) comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation.
- Schedule 2 (Amendments to Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act) comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation.
- Programs established under the amended Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act may include terms and conditions for grants, other payments, and their repayment.
- Programs may also include terms and conditions for the reimbursement of expenses.
- Programs may specify fees to be paid by persons in the agriculture, food, or rural affairs sectors, and the circumstances under which these fees may be waived or refunded.
- The bill text does not specify penalties for non-compliance with the provisions related to public sector organizations providing information or for other requirements of the Act or amendments.
- The exact date for the commencement of Schedule 1 (Local Food Act, 2012) and Schedule 2 (amendments to Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act) is not specified, as they will come into force on a day named by proclamation.
- The specific limitations on what constitutes 'local food' under clause (b) of the definition will be set out in regulations.
- The specific organizations that fall under the definition of 'public sector organization' may be further prescribed by regulation.
- The bill does not specify penalties for non-compliance.
This Act is created to foster local food economies, increase awareness of local food diversity, and encourage new markets for local food. It allows the Minister to set goals and targets for local food after consultation, and to request information from public sector organizations. It also proclaims a specific week as Local Food Week.
Source: SCHEDULE 1
This Act is amended to allow the Minister to establish programs for the betterment of agriculture, food, and rural affairs, in addition to the Lieutenant Governor in Council. It also changes the Ministry's mandate in one clause to include 'rural affairs'.
Source: SCHEDULE 2
Changes the wording to include 'rural affairs' alongside agriculture and food in describing the Ministry's scope.
Source: SCHEDULE 2, Section 1 (1)
Adds a new subsection that allows the Minister to enter into contracts related to matters under their administration.
Source: SCHEDULE 2, Section 1 (2)
Adds an exception to a subsection, indicating it does not apply to the Minister's power to make an order under section 7.
Source: SCHEDULE 2, Section 2
Repeals the existing section on the establishment of programs and substitutes new provisions. The Minister can now establish programs by order, and the Lieutenant Governor in Council can also establish programs on the Minister's recommendation. Orders must specify program terms, conditions for services, grants, repayments, expense reimbursement, and fees. Delegation of program administration is permitted, excluding certain specified aspects.
Source: SCHEDULE 2, Section 3
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
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Vote Summary
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No published representative vote breakdown
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Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
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