Ontario Food Terminal expansion aims to boost local produce access and affordability

Ontario growers and business owners are hopeful that an expansion of the Ontario Food Terminal (OFT) in Etobicoke will improve access to local produce and help bring down grocery prices.

The OFT is a wholesale marketplace where fresh produce is bought and sold in bulk. It distributes nearly 2.1 billion pounds of fruits and vegetables annually across Canada, making it a critical piece of national food infrastructure. Hutch Morton, whose family business has operated at the terminal for nearly five decades, calls it "the lifeblood of what our business does and the lifeblood of what a lot of businesses in the Toronto community depend on."

In June, the federal government launched Canada's first-ever National Food Security Strategy, with Prime Minister Mark Carney announcing over $3 billion in spending over 10 years to produce more food domestically and make it more affordable. The strategy commits $1 billion to the Food Link Fund, which will support food terminals and food hubs. The plan includes expanding the OFT by the end of this year, opening two new food terminals, and establishing or expanding 10 smaller food hubs by the end of 2028.

Raymond Den Boer, president of Den Boer Farms in Otterville, Ontario, which grows vegetables on 102 hectares, says he visits the OFT three times a week but sometimes has to set up outside due to overflow — exposing his products to temperature extremes that damage freshness and discourage shoppers. An expansion would keep product colder longer and create a better environment for customers to buy local.

Vicky Lee, owner of Little Harvest Market at The Well, sources produce from farmers at the OFT five times a week. She says the expansion will let her continue buying locally sourced goods without relying on competitors' supply chains. "We know our farmers by name," she said.