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Interactive Business Plan Builder

We understand that creating a business plan might be a new territory, our Interactive Business Plan Builder helps streamline the writing process and offers aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners the guidance and support they need from the beginning to the end of the planning process.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a strategic document that provides a detailed overview of a company’s goals, objectives, business structure, and strategies it will implement to achieve them. A business plan is crucial and beneficial to both startups and established small businesses.

Why is a Business Plan Important for Small Businesses?

Make informed business decisions

Set clear goals & strategy

Understand your customers & target market

Identify potential risks & mitigation

Secure funding & manage cash flow

Build & enhance credibility

What is Included in the Business Plan Builder?

The Business Plan Builder tool simplifies the process of developing your plan by breaking it down into essential topics and providing reference examples for each section

Executive summary & business description

Market research

Sales & marketing

Financial projections

Team structure

Why Use the Business Plan Builder?

Create a new business idea

Shift your existing business model

Develop a detailed business plan

Secure funding

Ready to Write a Compelling Business Plan?

Receive dedicated support from our Business Strategists as you go through each section.

Look Inside

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there a time commitment to complete my business plan.

No, there is no specific time commitment. Take the time you need to conduct thorough research and complete your business plan at your own pace. The Interactive Business Plan Builder allows you to save your work at any point, allowing you the flexibility to complete it at your convenience.

Should I complete all sections in chronological order?

While the business plan is structured to guide you through the process, you have the flexibility to work on the sections in any order that suits you.

Can I create a copy of my business plan?

Certainly! Navigate to “My Business Plans,” locate the desired plan, and click on the “Duplicate” button to create a copy. You can then rename the duplicated business plan.

Can I invite another user or my business partner to be a collaborator on my business plan?

Unfortunately, the current tool doesn’t support this feature. However, you can export your plan as a Microsoft Word, PDF, or Google Drive and collaborate with others outside the platform if needed.

What if I need some help writing my business plan?

Business Link offers various resources and supports to assist you in crafting a business plan:

• Within each business plan section of the Business Plan Builder, you’ll find tips and examples to guide you.
• Check the right-hand side navigation bar for additional resources to help in your business plan development, including the option to download our Cashflow Template .
• If you need personalized assistance or have specific questions, our experienced business strategists, many of whom have entrepreneurial backgrounds, are available for one-on-one support. Feel free to reach out to us for assistance if needed!

Am I able to customize my business plan, such as adding a logo?

Absolutely! Export your business plan as a Word Doc or Google Doc to begin further customization, including the addition of a logo.

Will my business plan be shared with anyone?

Rest assured that your business plan is treated as your intellectual property (IP), and confidentiality is a priority. We will never share your data or business plan without explicit permission.

Did you have a business plan in our old Business Plan Builder? As of September 30th, 2023, access to your Business Link user account for exporting previous business plans has been discontinued due to the removal of this function. For copies of any plans created in the original builder, please contact our team, and we’ll gladly assist you.

Cash Flow Templates

Do you plan on asking for funding for your small business? Access the cash flow template you need to go with your funding request.

Have your business plan reviewed

Our small business strategists can review your business plan and provide you with feedback and coaching to get it to where it needs to be – whether you’re looking for financing, or just need to work out the details of your business idea.

Don’t have a business plan yet? Get started with our free interactive Business Plan Builder . The tool will walk you through the business planning process with details on what to include in each section, helpful tips, and examples. When you’re done, export your plan and submit it for review!

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• Business planning and strategy

Business plan writer

The interactive Futurpreneur business plan writer is designed to simplify the business planning process by allowing you to customize your plan. We also provide tips & tricks, and plenty of examples to guide you as you write.

Business plan example

Gain valuable insights from Futurpreneur’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Dominik Loncar, to learn how to articulate your vision with clarity and impact. We understand that writing a business plan can feel daunting, there’s so many pieces it’s hard to know where to start. So, to help you get started we’ve created a business plan example that includes insights and rationale from Dominik Loncar. He’s our Entrepreneur-in-Residence and he’s reviewed 100s of business plans from entrepreneurs.

Business plan essentials

Never written a business plan before? Fear not! With this crash course, you’ll be provided with an overview of the different components that make up a solid business plan ensuring you’re launch-ready and poised for success.

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What is a business plan and why do I need one?

A business plan is a written document that describes your business, its objectives and strategies, the market you are targeting and your financial forecast. It is important to have a business plan because it helps you set realistic goals, secure external funding, measure your success, clarify operational requirements and establish reasonable financial forecasts. Preparing your plan will also help you focus on how to operate your new business and give it the best chance for success.

Securing financial assistance to start your new business will be directly related to the strength of your business plan. To be considered a viable candidate to receive funds from a financial institution or investors, you must demonstrate that you understand every aspect of your business and its ability to generate profit.

A business plan is more than just something to show lenders and investors, it is also necessary to help you plan for the growth and progress of your business. Your business’s success can depend on your plans for the future.

Listed below are examples of questions to ask yourself when writing your business plan:

• How will I generate a profit?
• How will I run the business if sales are low or if profits are down?
• Who is my competition, and how will we coexist?
• Who is my target market?

What should be included in a business plan?

Although business plans can vary in length and scope, all successful business plans contain common elements. The following points should be included in any business plan:

• Executive summary (business description)

Identifying your business opportunity

Marketing and sales strategy of a business plan, financial forecasts of a business plan, other useful documentation, the executive summary (business description).

The executive summary is an overview of the main points in your business plan and is often considered the most important section. It is positioned at the front of the plan and is usually the first section that a potential investor or lender will read. The summary should:

• Include the main points from each of the other sections to explain the basics of your business
• Be sufficiently interesting to motivate the reader to continue reading the rest of your business plan
• Be brief and concise – no more than two pages long

Although the executive summary is the first section of the plan, it is a good idea to write it last – after the other parts of the plan have been finalized.

In this section of your business plan, you will describe what your business is about – its products and/or services – and your plans for the business. This section usually includes:

• Who you are
• What you do
• What you have to offer
• What market you want to target

Remember that the person reading the plan may not understand your business and its products and services as well as you do, so try to avoid using complicated terms. It is also a good idea to get someone who is not involved in the business to read this section of your plan to make sure that anyone can understand it.

Some of the things you should explain in your plan include:

• Whether it is a new business venture, a purchase of an existing business or the expansion of an existing business
• The industry sector your business is in
• The uniqueness of your product or service
• The advantages that your business has over your competition
• The main objectives of your business
• Your legal business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation)

You can also include the date the business was registered/incorporated, the name of the business, its address and all contact information.

A strong business plan will include a section that describes specific activities that you will use to promote and sell your products or services. A strong sales and marketing section demonstrates that you have a clear idea of how you will get your product or service into market and can answer the following questions for the reader:

• Who are your customers? Do some research and include details of the types of customers who have shown an interest in your product or service. You can describe how you are going to promote yourself to potential customers.  
• How are you going to reach your customers? You should know your customers and the best methods to reach them. Research will help you identify the most effective way to connect with your selected audience, whether it is through the Internet, over the telephone or by in-person contact.  
• Who is your competition? Once you understand this, you need to research their strengths and weaknesses and use this information to assess potential opportunities and threats to your business.  
• How are you going to position your product or service? Describe what makes your product or service unique to the market you are trying to target.  
• How are you going to price your product or service? This information will outline your pricing strategy, including incentives, bulk pricing and/or group sales.

Don't underestimate the importance of this part of your plan. Investors need to know that you and your staff have the necessary balance of skills, motivation and experience to succeed. This section describes the people working in your business and how you plan to manage your activities. Information in this section can include:

• A brief organizational layout or chart of the business
• Biographies of the managers (including yourself)
• Who does what, with a brief job description of each position
• The needed skills of each position
• Any other relevant information related to personnel

It is also a good idea to outline any recruitment or training plans, including the cost and the amount of time required.

The operations section of your business plan will outline your daily operational requirements, facility requirements, management information systems, information technology requirements and any improvements you may have planned. This section usually includes information like:

• Daily operations – descriptions of hours of operation, seasonality of business, suppliers and their credit terms, etc.  
• Facility requirements – this includes things like size and location, information on lease agreements, supplier quotations and any licensing documentation    
• Management information systems – inventory control, management of accounts, quality control and customer tracking  
• Information technology (IT) requirements – your IT systems, any consultants or support service and an outline of any planned IT developments

Your financial forecast turns your plan into numbers. As part of any good business plan, you need to include financial projections for the business that provide a forecast for the next three to five years. The first 12 months of forecasts will have the most details about costs and revenues, so investors can understand your strategy.

Your financial forecasts should include:

• Cash flow statements – cash balance and the cash flow pattern for the first 12-18 months, including working capital, salaries and sales
• Profit and loss forecast – projected level of profit based on your projected sales, the costs of providing goods and services and your overhead costs
• Sales forecast – the money you expect to make from sales of your product or service

Some other things to consider include:

• How much capital do you need (if you are seeking external funding)?
• What security can you offer to lenders?
• How do you plan to repay your debts?
• What are your sources of revenue and income?
• Forecasts should be covering a range of scenarios
• Reviewing risks and developing contingency plans to offset the risks
• Reviewing industry benchmarks/averages for your type of business

It is important to do your research to find out how your business compares to other small businesses in your industry.

The following sections are not always required, but can enhance any business plan:

• Implementation plan – this section lists estimated dates of completion for different aspects of your business plan, targets for your business and accomplishments. Appendices – these should include supporting material, such as licences and permits, agreements, contracts and other documentation that support your business plan.

Who should write my business plan?

Your business plan should be prepared by you, the entrepreneur. It is your business and your plan, but do not hesitate to ask for help from your management team, consultants, accountants, bookkeepers, copy editors or other experienced people.  

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Quest Nears Deal to Acquire LifeLabs, Globe and Mail Reports

By Alexander Pearson

Quest Diagnostics Inc. has emerged as the leading contender to buy Canada’s biggest medical testing company from Ontario’s pension plan owner, the Globe and Mail reported Sunday.

Quest has offered to buy LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services from the Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System for more than C$1.3 billion ($951 million), according to the report, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Omers put LifeLabs up for sale earlier this year after growing the business for 17 years. The pension fund and Quest declined to comment when contacted by the Globe and Mail.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alexander ...

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How Ontario’s planned ban on financing tool will drive up new home prices

A construction crew walks in front of new homes under construction, on the day Bank of Canada increased its policy rate a full percentage point in Brampton, Ont. on July 13, 2022. CARLOS OSORIO/Reuters

Gary Schwartz is the president of the Canadian Lenders Association.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes by the year 2031. However, if the government forges ahead with a plan to ban an extremely popular home-equipment financing tool, he will have indirectly made a very different kind of pledge altogether: to drive up the price of new homes in a province where few can afford to buy them.

In March, the Ontario government quietly announced plans to eliminate Notices of Security Interest, or NOSIs, from the Ontario Land Registry. A NOSI is a legal financing tool that enables builders to rent or lease equipment – for example, furnaces, air conditioners, or solar panels – by putting a notice on the title of a property, as opposed to buying the equipment outright.

Many Ontarians have never heard of NOSIs, yet the financing tool is present, astoundingly, in one in 14 households in the province, or around 400,000 homes. What’s more, the tool actually renders new builds more affordable by allowing buyers to finance the cost of critical home equipment over a long period of time. The savings for new home buyers are typically upwards of $30,000 – no small figure during an affordability crisis.

The provincial government’s intentions for seeking to ban this popular financing tool are noble. Unfortunately, despite its overwhelming safety and net benefit to consumers, NOSI legislation is in dire need of reform. Having been in place for more than 50 years with little change, a handful of bad actors have seized on loopholes in the legislation to take advantage of vulnerable homeowners in Ontario.

This is a problem that demands solving, but the government’s proposed solution couldn’t be more wrong, spelling disaster for Ontario consumers.

Not only will an outright ban of the financing tool drive up home prices, it will call into question the existing contracts of hundreds of thousands of Ontario homeowners, potentially having a widespread damaging effect on their individual credit scores.

If the Premier bans NOSIs without instituting an appropriate replacement, Ontario will become the first jurisdiction in North America to eliminate the financing tool and the only jurisdiction on the continent in which home rental equipment must be tied to an individual’s credit.

A ban also runs the risk of increasing HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) costs for homeowners. After all, when HVAC financing is secured, it is typically offered at a low rate. Eliminate the tool that enables that security and interest rates will increase significantly, causing the costs to consumers to more than double.

Fortunately, there are several alternatives to banning NOSIs outright that would protect vulnerable Ontarians from bad actors without needlessly driving up home prices and jeopardizing homeowners’ finances. These alternatives would be more than welcome by industry players and homeowners alike.

For example, the provincial government could improve its own enforcement powers to crack down on malicious parties who use the tool for nefarious purposes; it could create a higher benchmark for entry into the home-financing industry; it could demand that customers be notified when their equipment is put on title; it could institute fair buyout rates to prevent consumers from being grossly overcharged for equipment.

But whatever the nature of its plan, the government desperately needs one.

And yet, sadly, to date, it has shown no interest in the solutions above. In fact, its refusal to release responsible alternatives to an outright ban flies directly in the face of the advice of the Ontario Bar Association and the equipment-finance industry. And surely, it will fly in the face of public opinion if home prices climb because of poor government foresight.

Sound policy decisions should solve existing problems, not create new ones. Ontario is in the midst of a housing and affordability crisis. If Mr. Ford truly wants to solve it, he won’t ban a tool that makes life easier for Ontarians. He will improve it.

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Business Etiquette 1 Day Workshop in Ontario, CA on May 22nd, 2024

Offers: Group of 5 - 10 people 10% Discount, Group of 11 - 20 people 15% Discount

Date and time

For venue details reach us at [email protected], PH: +1 469 666 9332

Refund Policy

What Exactly is Business Etiquette?

Impact of the Words We Use

Email Etiquette

The Power of Listening

Exploring our Personal Impact

Effective Meeting Management

Supporting Business Etiquette in Others

About this event

Certificate: Course Completion Certificate

Language: English

Duration: 1 Day

Refreshments: Snacks, Beverages and Lunch included in a classroom session

Course Delivery: Classroom

Course Overview:

This Business Etiquette training has been developed to help ensure the people in your organisation are aware of the importance of meeting common workplace standards. You may not be aware how certain behaviours affect others within the organisation, and indeed how that affects the business as a whole. Alternatively, it might be that people need to have honest conversations with each other to ensure they work together collaboratively.

The session will help you to build self-awareness and will highlight the important parts of business etiquette and why it’s such an important topic.

Course Contents:

As our day to day roles move from the static office based 9-5 jobs to more flexible and remote working practices, it is becoming more important that we focus on modern business etiquette to ensure success. Whether it is in person or over email and telephone, it is worth thinking about our social impact and behaviours on others to ensure we work collaboratively and effectively.

This training has been designed to help you to think about how you can successfully build professional relationships in whatever environment you work in. you are encouraged to think about how you already come across, as well as how you can give feedback to others who perhaps might need some extra support.

Why is running this building better work habits course a good idea?

Well, just imagine if you were better able to:

• Understand that business etiquette isn’t a fluffy “nice to have” but an integral part of your organisation
• Think about what the impact the words they use have – both face to face and over email
• Combat business jargon to help keep communication clear and simple
• Experience the power of listening, and understand that multitasking is a myth
• Explore their own personal impact, and work to be present in all interactions
• Demonstrate effective meeting management to optimise time and resources
• Understand how to support others who, perhaps, may struggle with business etiquette
• Ultimately these training allow you to nurture a workforce that is better able to work smarter and accomplish both personal and company objectives in an efficient and collaborative way.

Course Feature:

At the end of this Business Etiquette Training, you will be able to:

• Identify what we mean by business etiquette, and understand why it is important in a business setting
• Explore email etiquette, and how we can get the best out of writing more simply without the use of business jargon
• Experience the importance of listening, and understand the effect of being distracted in the company of others
• Explore effective meeting management, to ensure you use your time productively
• Understand what might get in the way of other people’s business etiquette, and plan how we may support them in the future?

Certification:

Once after the training you receive course completion certificate from Academy for Pros

Who Can Attend?

This could include; Team leaders, supervisors, managers, HR professionals and anyone else involved in the management of people or organisations.

Agile For Product Owner Training: When an organization makes the decision to adopt agile, it takes much more than pulling together a development team and allowing them to work in an iterative manner. Agile is a true shift in how individuals collaborate, communicate and operate. Agile requires an all in mindset from both business and technology where all individuals work together to deliver business value in the form of working software.

The Agile for Product Owners course will provide the knowledge to understand and apply the principles of agile. At the end of the course, participants will be able to effectively plan, prioritize and manage a product roadmap to deliver business value, understand the role of the Product Owner and the development team within an iterative process, and gain the skills necessary to become an agile leader to drive your organization to the next level.

Business Etiquette Workshop: These Business Etiquette training have been developed to help ensure the people in your organisation are aware of the importance of meeting common workplace standards. You may not be aware how certain behaviours affect others within the organisation, and indeed how that affects the business as a whole. Alternatively, it might be that people need to have honest conversations with each other to ensure they work together collaboratively.

Business Writing Workshop: Writing is a key method of communication for most people, and it”s one that many people struggle with. Writing and communication skills have degraded with more and more people communicating through email and text messaging. Developing writing skills is still important is the business world as creating proper documents (such as proposals, reports, and agendas), giving you that extra edge in the workplace.

Elements of Risk Management Workshop: The mission of every organization is affected by today’s global economy and the digital era. Organizations are critically dependent on information technology (IT) to better support their business Goals. Risk Management plays a critical role in protecting an organization’s information assets, and its mission therein, from IT-related Risk. An effective Risk Management Process is an important component of a successful IT security program. The principal goal of an organization’s Risk Management Process should be to protect the organization and its ability to perform their mission, not just its IT assets. Therefore, the Risk Management Process should not be treated primarily as a technical function carried out by the IT experts who operate and manage the IT system, but as an essential Management function of the organization.

Business Analyst Bootcamp : This 4-day Business Analyst Bootcamp will give you hands-on experience with the latest proven techniques for identifying a project’s scope, developing and discovering requirements and uses cases, and documenting them expertly. Lively lectures combined with insightful demonstrations and realistic practice exercises will provide you with the competence and confidence to improve project outcomes through better requirements elicitation and use case development.

Business Ethics Workshop: A company”s ethics will determine its reputation. Good business ethics are essential for the long-term success of an organization. Implementing an ethical program will foster a successful company culture and increase profitability. Developing a Business Ethics program takes time and effort, but doing so will do more than improve business, it will change lives.

A company”s ethics will have an influence on all levels of business. It will influence all who interact with the company including customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, etc. All of these groups will have an effect on the way a company”s ethics are developed. It is a two-way street; the influence goes both ways, which makes understanding ethics a very important part of doing business today. Ethics is very important, as news can now spread faster and farther than ever before.

Business Networking Workshop: These networking skills training will help you to build a professional reputation and develop a network of connections through the two key methods available to you; face-to-face and online.

You will discover how to effectively combine these two approaches and create a strategy for networking success that will generate your own community and actively grow your personal network. This will result in an improved performance in your approach to networking and consequently provide opportunities and prospects that will increase your business success.

The training provides you with the tools and techniques to both plan a successful, strategic approach to networking and develop your personal communication skills, which will ensure you build effective business relationships.

Marketing Essentials Workshop: This Training, ‘Marketing Essentials’ cover the basics of marketing and are intended not only for people who are new to a marketing role, but just about anybody in the organisation. A basic understanding of the subject is particularly valuable to people in management, selling and customer service roles.

Agile Scrum Master Training: The EXIN Agile Scrum Master certification validates participants’ skills and knowledge of the Agile framework and Scrum methodology.

Agile Scrum is about working together to successfully reach a goal. Agile methodologies are popular approaches in software development and are increasingly being used in other areas. Scrum practices include establishing cross-functional and self-managed teams, producing a working deliverable at the end of each iteration or Sprint. This certification focuses on adopting Agile or Scrum in the workplace and taking on the role of Scrum Master.

Internet Marketing Fundamentals Workshop: Marketing has changed dramatically over the last decade. Marketing is all about communicating, and the Internet has completely changed the way people communicate. The Internet is a marketer”s dream come true, especially with Social Media, as you have a low cost marketing tool that can reach a large audience.

Internet Marketing Fundamentals will provide your participants with a great set of skills to market your business online. Content is the king of Internet marketing, and your participants will need to know how to utilize your great content. If you want your business to grow then your participants need to understand Internet Marketing Fundamentals.

Early Bird Offer

Standard fee, frequently asked questions.

We provide Course Materials, Lunch, Beverages and Course Completion Certificate.

You can reach us at [email protected] or enroll through our website.

We host the training through both the platform, Online and Classroom. The virtual training option can be chosen by busy professionals.

The duration of the training is 8 hours. The training will run from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Yes, we do provide great discount for the group registration. To enquire, reach us at [email protected]

Once you complete the training, you will receive a globally recognized Course Completion Certificate.

Yes. You can switch your registration to a different course with a week prior notice.

Our subject matter experts are from relevant industries and are certified.

You will be credited with 8 PDUs on completion of this training.

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Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission business plan 2024–2027

On this page skip this page navigation, accountability.

The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (commission) is prescribed as a public body and a Commission public body in accordance with O. Reg.  146/10 under the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006 .

The commission is not organizationally part of a ministry but is a Crown agency of the Ontario government. It is comprised of appointees and as an agency, it is expected to provide a high level of service to the public.

The commission reports to, and is directly accountable to, the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The minister, in turn, is accountable to Cabinet and the legislature for the commission’s fulfillment of its legal authority and for reporting on the commission’s affairs.

As a government agency, the commission functions as a non-board-governed, regulatory agency under the Agencies and Appointments Directive ( AAD ), a Management Board of Cabinet directive issued under the Management Board of Cabinet Act .

The AAD sets out the rules and accountability framework for all provincial agencies, including the commission. As a requirement of the AAD , a 3-year business plan must be prepared annually and submitted by the chair of the commission to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, for the minister’s approval.

This business plan covers a 3-year horizon (2024-2027) and outlines how the commission intends to operate during that period.

As a requirement of the AAD , the commission must operate in accordance with a business plan that has been approved by the minister.

The commission

The commission is central to Ontario's regulated marketing system . Through its actions, it ensures that individual regulated commodity systems operate in an effective and responsible manner. This is done with due regard to the impact of commission decisions on the agri-food sector and consumers, while at the same time maintaining the public policy goals of the legislation.

The commission’s primary stakeholders are comprised of the marketing board , local boards and section 12 representative associations which this commission is mandated to oversee. Additional stakeholders include organizations referenced in commission-made regulations.

The commission is currently comprised of 7 appointed members including a chair, 2 vice-chairs and four other members. The members hold a wealth of experience in agricultural production and processing with a variety of business, industry, and commodity experience. The Lieutenant Governor in Council, upon the recommendation of the minister, appoints commission members.

The commission is supported operationally by a secretariat that is comprised of staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ( OMAFRA ). Organizationally, the Secretariat is a branch of OMAFRA ’s Policy Division.

In performing its function as a regulatory agency, the commission typically convenes for 2 days each month to address sector challenges and opportunities, while also making decisions pertaining to the regulations under its authority. commission members and Secretariat staff also participate in various commodity Industry Advisory Committees ( IACs ) and attend other industry meetings (such as commodity board annual general meetings) over the course of the year where commission oversight, guidance or facilitation is requested.

The commission’s legal authority and mandate

The commission is continued as a body corporate without share capital pursuant to subsection 12(1) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act ( MAFRAA ). The commission exercises powers and authority under the Farm Products Marketing Act , the Milk Act and O. Reg.  68/98  under the Commodity Boards and Marketing Agencies Act .

Alongside its policy functions, the commission is authorized to make independent regulatory decisions. It reports to, and is directly accountable to, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The minister, in turn, is accountable to Cabinet and the legislature for the commission’s fulfillment of its legal authority and for reporting on the commission’s affairs.

As a non-board governed, regulatory agency, the commission is accountable for making regulatory decisions and supervising the activities of the various farm commodity marketing boards in Ontario. However, the commission does not possess the authority to make its own operational decisions. It is the ministry that is required to provide operational, financial, and administrative support to the agency as per legislation through the Secretariat.

A third-party governance review of the commission carried out during 2022 resulted in recommendations related to clarifying the role and mandate of the commission. Early in 2023, the minister provided a letter of direction to the commission which provided clarity on its mandate, including:

• administering the relevant provisions of the enabling legislation ( Farm Products Marketing Act and Milk Act ) in Ontario to ensure it remains reliable and effective for our marketing boards, local boards, associations, producers and processors.
• supervising regulated marketing organizations to whom power and authority has been delegated under the legislation and ensure boards, associations, producers and processors remain in compliance with the legislation and regulations that are in place, including through robust governance training/reviews for each board
• addressing challenges, issues and opportunities in the regulated marketing sector by collaborating with stakeholders to find equitable, unbiased and industry-led solutions or by leveraging, where required, authorities provided to the commission. This includes reviewing the financial sustainability of marketing boards and working with boards to identify red tape that could be reduced
• conducting a review of all IACs to analyze their effectiveness and how they can be best used. This review should be done under the lens of encouraging economic growth, as well as cooperation across the supply chain
• with respect to stakeholders, measuring and communicating the priorities and performance of the agency to build trust and demonstrate alignment between the agency and our government is vital. This includes ensuring the commission has a full understanding of all stakeholder input on relevant commission business
• engaging regularly with myself and the ministry to ensure regulated marketing policy efforts are collaborative and in alignment with government priorities through briefings for the Minister’s Office and minister where applicable. This includes further, engaging through the Ministry or my office with the appropriate ministries with respect to any issues that could impact trade or intergovernmental relationships

Also, during 2023, the commission worked to define its purpose and in doing so developed the following statement to embody its mandate:

The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission is empowered by the legislature of Ontario to supervise regulated marketing boards and associations to ensure delegated authorities are exercised in a way that benefits Ontarians by fostering thriving agricultural production and processing in our regulated sectors which is a fundamental driver of Ontario’s economy and rural prosperity, and ensuring stable food supply, food security and food affordability for Ontarians.

The commission is an agency that is accountable to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and is trusted to use its expertise in agri-food to navigate complex issues in an impartial manner and empower the regulated marketing sectors to find industry solutions as challenges arise.

The commission’s vision and mission statements

To provide guidance in carrying out its mandate, the commission sets a three-year strategic plan that defines its priorities and establishes the goals it wants to achieve.

The commission plans to create a new strategic plan during the 2024-2025 fiscal year to ensure it aligns with any visionary or direction changes identified by the agency. The new strategic plan will be reflected in the commission’s work for the duration of this 2024-2027 business plan.

The commission will be guided by its current or updated strategic plan, including its vision, mission and strategic goals that are in support of the sector, OMAFRA and government priorities. The commission’s strategic framework, goals, and objectives, along with the initiatives and target outcomes will guide and reflect its ongoing commitment to its regulatory responsibilities that help its regulated stakeholders and the agri-food sector thrive and prosper.

Vision: prosperous, thriving, dynamic agri-food sector

The commission works to help drive the province’s regulated marketing system forward, enabling the agri-food sector to be successful in the marketplace. Passionate about supporting our stakeholders and growing the sector through the regulated marketing system, the commission is focused on bringing Ontario food products to the tables of consumers, locally and globally.

As a regulator, the commission is actively listening to the diverse needs of marketing boards and section 12 representative associations, and its value chain partners. It conscientiously brokers progressive, whole-sector solutions for this dynamic and competitive industry. The commission works diligently to build respect, trust and collaboration between all commodity groups, producers, processors and their stakeholders.

Mission: supporting the growth of Ontario's agri-food value chains so they are robust, creative and adaptive to change

Working with our sector partners, the commission provides oversight and authority to Ontario’s regulated marketing system in order to enable whole sector solutions that lead to a more robust sector and economy.

Core values/guiding principles:

• Lead by example
• Strive for excellence
• Build and reinforce trust
• Whole-chain perspective

The commission’s work: 2024-2027

To better manage priorities and inform others about the commission’s mandate, the commission recently completed a “Path to Clarity” project to develop and document a shared description of the commission using common, everyday language, to be used to clarify and articulate the work the commission does, and how and why it does it.

The commission’s work is categorized within 3  lines of business .

Framework oversight for regulated marketing activities

• Making or amending regulations that enable boards and associations to carry out their mandates
• Monitoring or reviewing existing regulations to identify ongoing issues or opportunities for improvement or modernization
• Consulting with the minister, the ministry, stakeholders and all impacted parties on regulatory proposals
• Assessing regulatory impacts and mitigating risks
• Using legislated tools to maintain the integrity of the regulated marketing system

Anticipated activities for 2024–2025

• Supporting OMAFRA with possible legislative reviews or recommended amendments
• it is estimated that 11 marketing regulations may be made or amended by the commission
• it is estimated that 4 general regulations may be made or amended by the commission
• it is estimated that 8 plan regulations may be made and/or amended. Amendment of these regulations made by the commission require approval by the minister.
• it is estimated that the commission will recommend that the lieutenant governor in council make or amend 3 plan regulations
• Appointing IAC members
• Ordering negotiated agreements into legal force
• Issuing licences
• Reviewing or signing national supply-managed commodity agreements
• Participating in National Association of Agri-Food Supervisory Agency ( NAASA ) meetings
• Participating in a Turkey Farmers of Ontario export policy working group
• Encouraging boards and associations to understand and address cyber security risks to their operations

Regulatory compliance activities

• Conducting reviews to ensure boards and associations are in compliance with the regulations
• Providing guidance and tools to enable board and association compliance with the regulations
• Setting out clear expectations of board and association compliance
• Ensuring the commission is compliant with its own regulatory requirements
• Working with all boards/associations to complete the compliance attestation process
• Turkey Farmers of Ontario
• Ontario Canola Growers’ Association
• Ontario Tender Fruit Growers
• Ontario Ginseng Growers’ Association
• Fresh Grape Growers’ Marketing Board
• Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc.
• Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers’ Marketing Board
• Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers
• Ontario Tomato Seedling Growers’ Marketing Board
• Ontario Sheep Farmers
• Ontario Bean Growers
• Egg Farmers of Ontario
• Seed Corn Growers of Ontario

Guidance, facilitation and dispute resolution activities

• Providing advice or facilitation to advance industry-led solutions to address opportunities, and help resolve conflicts or disputes
• Collecting, analyzing and fact-checking data and information about complaints or disputes
• Hearing matters and making decisions in a transparent, fair and unbiased manner
• Formally and informally meeting with key stakeholders that are impacted by regulated marketing legislation, and where applicable, aligning with biennial board/association review meetings
• Managing relationships/issues with the boards/associations and other stakeholders along the value chain
• Participating in IAC meetings
• Attending board/association annual general meetings

Anticipated projects

While the commission continues to carry out its key responsibilities as set out in legislation, during the period of this plan it will also engage in projects to support its efforts in becoming a more effective and modern regulatory organization. These projects include:

• creating a new strategic plan to guide the commission through fiscal years from 2024–2028
• continuous improvement projects, including a review of how the commission supervises the financial management of commodity boards

Additional projects may include:

• development of a policy, process, performance measures and targets to assess client service and the commission’s response to complaints
• review of existing, and development of new commission policies and guidance documents

Compliance requirements

During 2024–2025, the commission will also deliver the:

• 3-year business plan
• compliance attestation
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ( AODA ) attestation
• French Language Services ( FLS ) reporting
• expense information
• risk evaluation and reporting
• memorandum of understanding ( MOU ) update, if required
• data management plan

The commission’s performance plan

During 2023, the commission worked with a third-party to develop a series of clear, consistent and meaningful performance measures. This work had been recommended through the governance review of the commission that was completed in 2022.

As the commission is expected to provide a high level of service to the public, performance measures are essential to measuring, monitoring and communicating the commission’s impact to government and stakeholders. Well-designed measures also enable sound agency and ministry decision-making, highlight and track improvements in programs and services, and fulfil accountability requirements through reporting on results.

The commission has identified 4 key domains within which it will measure its performance and will strive to meet the established targets for the 2024–2027 period. These domains align with the commission’s lines of business, and add an additional component related to organizational excellence.

The commission performance plan for 2024–2027 is outlined within the 4 performance domains.

Performance domain 1: commission regulatory oversight

Focuses on the commission’s mandate to develop and implement all policies related to regulated marketing in Ontario to support an effective and efficient regulatory marketing system.

Performance domain 2: commission regulatory compliance monitoring and enforcement functions

Focuses on the commission’s mandate to administer the legislation and regulation of the Farm Products Marketing Act and the Milk Act , and to supervise the exercise of board powers and authorities to support compliance with the legislative scheme.

Performance domain 3: commission sector guidance and facilitation

Focuses on the commission’s mandate to provide leadership and education for boards and associations to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the regulatory marketing system.

Performance domain 4: commission organizational excellence

Focuses on the commission’s government directive and requirements as set out by the AAD and a focus on agency operational efficiency and effectiveness.

To provide context around the anticipated work within the various domains, the following work has been completed as of December 2023:

• 7 regulation amendments completed
• 9 negotiated agreements ordered into force
• 66 licences issued
• 21 appointments
• 8 board/association review meetings
• 1 related industry meetings
• 15  IAC meetings held

Resources to carry out the commission’s mandate

OMAFRA is responsible for providing both financial resources and staffing to support the commission in carrying out its mandate.

Staff assigned to support the commission

The commission is supported by a secretariat. Organizationally, the secretariat is a branch within OMAFRA ’s Policy Division.

The secretariat is currently comprised of 10 full-time OMAFRA employees and includes:

• a coordinator
• a policy analyst
• 5 policy advisors
• 2 senior policy advisors

Generally, staff are organized into operational coordination and regulated marketing policy groups.

Operational coordination staff support the commission with efforts to ensure the completion of all required administrative, financial, coordination, compliance, project and management functions.

Regulated marketing policy staff support the commission with information, policy analysis and advice on matters related to the 25 boards and associations it oversees, and the applicable legislation and regulations.

Additionally, significant support from the Legal Services Branch assigned to OMAFRA from the Ministry of the Attorney General is also required to achieve the commission’s oversight, policy and regulatory objectives.

Proposed budget to operate the commission

The budget to operate the commission is part of OMAFRA ’s budget. The director of the secretariat is responsible for oversight of the budget. As a non-board governed agency, the commission does not have its own audited financial statements.

* This allocation is for planning purposes.

The majority of the budget will fund the commission’s work related to its lines of business, including activities related to framework oversight for regulated marketing, regulatory compliance and guidance, facilitation and dispute resolution, with the balance funding its efforts around continuous improvement projects.

Glossary of terms

Marketing boards are corporate bodies established under the Milk Act that represent the interests of producers of a particular regulated product in the marketplace. Marketing boards are generally producer elected, controlled and financed. Authority is delegated through the Milk Act to each board to allow them to regulate the production and/or marketing of their commodities.

List of marketing boards:

• Dairy Farmers of Ontario

Local boards are corporate bodies established under the Farm Products Marketing Act that represent the interests of producers of a particular regulated product in the marketplace. Local boards are generally producer elected, controlled and financed. Authority is delegated through the Farm Products Marketing Act to each board to allow them to regulate the production and/or marketing of their commodities.

List of local boards:

• Asparagus Farmers of Ontario
• Berry Growers of Ontario
• Chicken Farmers of Ontario
• Grape Growers of Ontario
• Ontario Apple Growers
• Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission
• Ontario Fresh Grape Growers’ Marketing Board
• Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
• Ontario Pork
• Ontario Potato Board
• Veal Farmers of Ontario

Section 12 of the Farm Products Marketing Act allows Cabinet to designate an existing, incorporated producer association as the representative association for all producers of a specified farm product. The Farm Products Marketing Act authorizes the association to collect a licence fee from those producers. These associations are not involved in the marketing of the commodity, but conduct programs to stimulate, increase and improve the production and/or marketing of the farm product by way of research, promotion and other means.

List of section 12 representative associations:

The following are examples of stakeholders who are referenced in commission-made regulations:

• Ontario Milk Transporters Association are referenced within the Negotiating Agency section of O. Reg.  354/95 : Milk and Farm-Separated Cream – Marketing under the Milk Act
• licenced Ontario chicken processors are referenced within the Negotiating Agency section of R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 402 Chickens – Marketing under the Farm Products Marketing Act
• representatives of the Ontario Seed-Corn Companies Association are referenced within the Negotiating Agencies section of R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 427: Seed-Corn – Marketing under the Farm Products Marketing Act
• processors and green shippers are referenced within the Negotiating Agencies section of R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 440: Vegetables for Processing – Marketing under the Farm Products Marketing Act
• processors of soybeans are referenced within the Negotiating Agency for Soybeans section of O. Reg.  485/09 : Grain – Marketing under the Farm Products Marketing Act
• processors of grapes are referenced within the Licences and Negotiating Agencies sections of R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 414: Grapes for Processing – Marketing under the Farm Products Marketing Act

Framework oversight for regulated marketing:

Implementing and administering the provisions of the Farm Products Marketing Act and the Milk Act , enabling the regulated marketing system in consultation with the minister, the ministry and stakeholders.

Regulatory compliance:

Supervising Ontario’s boards and associations, to whom power and authority is delegated under the legislation and ensuring that the lines of accountability are maintained.

Guidance, facilitation and dispute resolution:

Providing formal or informal guidance pertaining to a regulated sector conflict or disputes through facilitation or direction.

IACs are sector-specific committees established through the respective commodity’s marketing regulation. These committees typically consist of a chair who is a commission member and are supported by secretariat staff.

List of IACs :

• Asparagus Industry Advisory Committee
• Fresh Asparagus Industry Advisory Committee
• Bean Industry Advisory Committee
• Berry Industry Advisory Committee
• Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Industry Advisory Committee
• Chicken Industry Advisory Committee
• Dairy Industry Advisory Committee – Milk
• Dairy Industry Advisory Committee – Transportation of Milk
• Dairy Industry Advisory Committee – Processors
• Eggs Industry Advisory Committee
• Fresh Apple Industry Advisory Committee
• Juice Apple Industry Advisory Committee
• Fresh Grapes Industry Advisory Committee
• Grain Industry Advisory Committee
• Grapes for Processing Industry Advisory Committee
• Greenhouse Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
• Hog Industry Advisory Committee
• Sheep Industry Advisory Committee
• Tender Fruit Industry Advisory Committee
• Turkey Industry Advisory Committee
• Veal Industry Advisory Committee
• Vegetables for Processing Industry Advisory Committee