Expenditure Estimates for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (2021-22)

The 2021-2022 Expenditure Estimates set out details of the operating and capital spending requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the fiscal year commencing April 1, 2021.

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Summary

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' purpose is to foster the economic growth of rural Ontario and of the agri-food sector. The ministry does this by incenting and supporting economic development, research, knowledge transfer and innovation, along with providing assurance and oversight of the agri-food system, while protecting the productive capacity of our natural resources. The purpose of these activities is to strengthen rural and urban communities that support good jobs, attract investment, and contribute to Ontario's economic success.

Ministry program summary

Vote	Program	Estimates 2021-22	Estimates 2020-21	Difference between 2021-22 and 2020-21	Actual 2019-20
	Operating expense
101	Ministry Administration Program	$22,472,900	$22,623,900	($151,000)	$22,215,587
107	Better Public Health and Environment	$73,795,600	$75,715,700	($1,920,100)	$75,524,430
108	Strong Agriculture, Food and Bio-product Sectors and Strong Rural Communities	$496,741,300	$418,440,900	$78,300,400	$404,674,303
109	Policy development	$16,251,800	$16,379,600	($127,800)	$16,345,205
	Total operating expense to be voted	$609,261,600	$533,160,100	$76,101,500	$518,759,525
	Statutory appropriations	$1,097,187	$1,097,187	-	$179,405
	Ministry total operating expense	$610,358,787	$534,257,287	$76,101,500	$518,938,930
	Consolidation adjustment - Agricorp	$134,115,300	$128,573,400	$5,541,900	$296,565,153
	Consolidation adjustment - Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO)	$6,803,300	$6,792,000	$11,300	$5,034,864
	Consolidation adjustment - General Real Estate Portfolio	($3,003,600)	($919,400)	($2,084,200)	($9,655,501)
	Total including consolidation & other adjustments	$748,273,787	$668,703,287	$79,570,500	$810,883,446
	Operating assets
101	Ministry Administration Program	$1,000	$1,000	-	-
107	Better Public Health and Environment	$5,000,000	$5,000,000	-	$1,882,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	$5,001,000	$5,001,000	-	$1,882,000
	Ministry total operating assets	$5,001,000	$5,001,000	-	$1,882,000
	Capital expense
108	Strong Agriculture, Food and Bio-product Sectors and Strong Rural Communities	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330
	Total capital expense to be voted	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330
	Ministry total capital expense	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330
	Consolidation adjustment - Agricorp	$2,727,000	$1,505,800	$1,221,200	$387,470
	Consolidation adjustment - Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO)	($4,208,900)	($4,920,600)	$711,700	($4,540,576)
	Total including consolidation & other adjustments	$6,018,100	$118,085,200	($112,067,100)	$319,402,224
	Ministry total operating and capital including consolidation and other adjustments (not including assets)	$754,291,887	$786,788,487	($32,496,600)	$1,130,285,670

Reconciliation to previously published data

Operating expense	2020-21 Estimates	2019-20 Actual
Total operating expense previously published^{footnote 1[1]}	$535,849,687	$520,625,150
Government reorganization
Transfer of functions to other Ministries	($1,592,400)	($1,686,220)
Restated total operating expense	$534,257,287	$518,938,930

Ministry Administration Program - vote 101

The Administration Program provides strategic management leadership and advice, legal counsel, communications, and administrative services in support of ministry and government priorities.

Vote summary

Item number	Item	Estimates 2021-22	Estimates 2020-21	Difference between 2021-22 and 2020-21	Actual 2019-20
	Operating expense
1	Ministry administration	$22,472,900	$22,623,900	($151,000)	$22,215,587
	Total operating expense to be voted	$22,472,900	$22,623,900	($151,000)	$22,215,587
S	Minister's salary, the Executive Council Act	$47,841	$47,841	-	$49,301
S	Parliamentary assistants' salaries, the Executive Council Act	$32,346	$32,346	-	$29,399
	Total statutory appropriations	$80,187	$80,187	-	$78,700
	Total operating expense	$22,553,087	$22,704,087	($151,000)	$22,294,287
	Operating assets
10	Accounts receivable	$1,000	$1,000	-	-
	Total operating assets to be voted	$1,000	$1,000	-	-
	Total operating assets	$1,000	$1,000	-	-

Standard account by item and sub-items

Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount	Amount
	Operating expense
101-1	Ministry administration
	Salaries and wages		$13,149,100
	Employee benefits		$2,376,800
	Transportation and communication		$636,000
	Services		$5,558,500
	Supplies and equipment		$752,500
	Total operating expense to be voted		$22,472,900
	Sub-items:
	Main office
	Salaries and wages	$2,334,500
	Employee benefits	$334,700
	Transportation and communication	$108,100
	Services	$297,200
	Supplies and equipment	$135,200	$3,209,700
	Business services
	Salaries and wages	$2,496,700
	Employee benefits	$373,300
	Transportation and communication	$321,500
	Services	$1,441,600
	Supplies and equipment	$304,100	$4,937,200
	Business planning and financial services
	Salaries and wages	$3,128,100
	Employee benefits	$468,000
	Transportation and communication	$56,900
	Services	$162,200
	Supplies and equipment	$55,800	$3,871,000
	Human resources
	Salaries and wages	$1,589,000
	Employee benefits	$682,200
	Transportation and communication	$59,700
	Services	$137,600
	Supplies and equipment	$139,500	$2,608,000
	Communications services
	Salaries and wages	$3,600,800
	Employee benefits	$518,600
	Transportation and communication	$69,800
	Services	$569,500
	Supplies and equipment	$107,900	$4,866,600
	Legal services
	Transportation and communication	$20,000
	Services	$2,950,400
	Supplies and equipment	$10,000	$2,980,400
	Total operating expense to be voted		$22,472,900
	Statutory appropriations
Statutory	Minister's salary, the Executive Council Act		$47,841
Statutory	Parliamentary assistants' salaries, the Executive Council Act		$32,346
	Total operating expense for Ministry Administration Program		$22,553,087
	Operating assets
101-10	Accounts receivable
	Advances and recoverable amounts
	Advances and recoverable - in-year recoveries		$1,000
	Total operating assets to be voted		$1,000
	Total operating assets for Ministry Administration Program		$1,000

Better Public Health and Environment - vote 107

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs uses a full suite of tools to manage risks and encourage industry adoption of best practices including: legislative and regulatory functions relating to food safety, animal health, nutrient management and drainage; and non-regulatory programs in food safety, animal health and welfare, the environment and improved health and safety for agri-food workers.

Vote summary

Item number	Item	Estimates 2021-22	Estimates 2020-21	Difference between 2021-22 and 2020-21	Actual 2019-20
	Operating expense
1	Better Public Health and Environment	$73,795,600	$75,715,700	($1,920,100)	$75,524,430
	Total operating expense to be voted	$73,795,600	$75,715,700	($1,920,100)	$75,524,430
S	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act	$10,000	$10,000	-	$204
	Total statutory appropriations	$10,000	$10,000	-	$204
	Total operating expense	$73,805,600	$75,725,700	($1,920,100)	$75,524,634
	Operating assets
2	Better Public Health and Environment	$5,000,000	$5,000,000	-	$1,882,000
	Total operating assets to be voted	$5,000,000	$5,000,000	-	$1,882,000
	Total operating assets	$5,000,000	$5,000,000	-	$1,882,000

Standard account by item and sub-items

Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount	Amount
	Operating expense
107-1	Better Public Health and Environment
	Salaries and wages		$33,141,900
	Employee benefits		$4,627,700
	Transportation and communication		$1,772,300
	Services		$8,109,500
	Supplies and equipment		$851,200
	Transfer payments
	Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program	$9,667,000
	Animal Health Compensation Program	$1,000
	Canadian Ag Partnership-Federal-Public Health and Env	$14,000,000
	Grassroots Growth Program	$1,645,000
	Lake Simcoe Agri-Environmental Partnerships	$920,000	$26,233,000
	Subtotal		$74,735,600
	Less: recoveries		$940,000
	Total operating expense to be voted		$73,795,600
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act		$10,000
	Total operating expense for Better Public Health and Environment		$73,805,600
	Operating assets
107-2	Better Public Health and Environment
	Loans and Investments
	Tile Drainage Debentures, the Tile Drainage Act	$4,800,000
	Tile Drainage Loans in Unorganized Territories	$200,000	$5,000,000
	Total operating assets to be voted		$5,000,000
	Total operating assets for Better Public Health and Environment		$5,000,000

Strong Agriculture, Food and Bio-product Sectors and Strong Rural Communities - vote 108

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs supports the province's rural communities and agriculture, food and bio-product sectors by: investing in agri-food and bio-product research; promoting the adoption of best management practices and new technologies; delivering assistance programs, including farm income stabilization; supporting investment attraction and retention for the food processing sector; and promoting Ontario agri-food and agri-product sales in domestic and export markets. The ministry is committed to building strong and vibrant rural communities and regions with diversified economies.

Vote summary

Item number	Item	Estimates 2021-22	Estimates 2020-21	Difference between 2021-22 and 2020-21	Actual 2019-20
	Operating expense
1	Economic Development	$132,483,500	$110,059,900	$22,423,600	$107,067,328
3	Research	$78,868,300	$78,891,500	($23,200)	$76,903,811
4	Business Risk Management Transfers	$285,389,500	$229,489,500	$55,900,000	$220,703,164
	Total operating expense to be voted	$496,741,300	$418,440,900	$78,300,400	$404,674,303
S	Payments: re: Guaranteed Bank Loans, the Financial Administration Act	$1,000	$1,000	-	-
S	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act	$5,000	$5,000	-	-
S	Payments: re: Guaranteed Bank Loans, the Financial Administration Act	$1,000	$1,000	-	-
S	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act	$1,000,000	$1,000,000	-	$100,501
	Total statutory appropriations	$1,007,000	$1,007,000	-	$100,501
	Total operating expense	$497,748,300	$419,447,900	$78,300,400	$404,774,804
	Capital expense
7	Agriculture and Rural Affairs Capital	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330
	Total capital expense to be voted	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330
	Total capital expense	$7,500,000	$121,500,000	($114,000,000)	$323,555,330

Standard account by item and sub-items

Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount	Amount
	Operating expense
108-1	Economic Development
	Salaries and wages		$23,093,800
	Employee benefits		$3,196,300
	Transportation and communication		$1,035,200
	Services		$10,415,400
	Supplies and equipment		$485,100
	Transfer payments
	Canadian Ag Partnership-Federal-Economic Development	$18,254,300
	COVID 19 Programming	$23,900,000
	Food Industry	$15,400,000
	Grassroots Growth Program	$4,803,400
	Ontario Wine Fund	$23,000,000
	Rural Economic Development Program	$5,000,000
	Small Cidery and Small Distillery Support Program	$3,900,000	$94,257,700
	Total operating expense to be voted		$132,483,500
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Payments: re: Guaranteed Bank Loans, the Financial Administration Act		$1,000
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act		$5,000
108-3	Research
	Salaries and wages		$2,327,600
	Employee benefits		$311,500
	Transportation and communication		$176,700
	Services		$332,500
	Supplies and equipment		$90,000
	Transfer payments
	Canadian Ag Partnership-Federal-Research	$7,850,000
	Food Safety Research	$680,000
	Grants in Lieu of Taxes	$1,000,000
	University of Guelph	$66,100,000	$75,630,000
	Total operating expense to be voted		$78,868,300
108-4	Business Risk Management Transfers
	Transfer payments
	Agricorp	$12,758,000
	AgriInsurance	$34,000,000
	AgriInvest	$21,100,000
	AgriRecovery	$5,001,000
	AgriRisk Federal	$1,000
	AgriRisk Provincial	$1,000
	AgriStability	$30,469,500
	Farmers’ Risk Management Premium Fund	$30,000,000
	Ontario Risk Management Program	$150,000,000
	Provision for Loan Guarantees - Commodity Loan Guarantee Program	$1,000
	Wildlife Damage Compensation - Federal	$1,058,000
	Wildlife Damage Compensation - Provincial	$1,000,000	$285,389,500
	Total operating expense to be voted		$285,389,500
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Payments: re: Guaranteed Bank Loans, the Financial Administration Act		$1,000
	Statutory appropriations
	Other transactions
Statutory	Bad debt expense, the Financial Administration Act		$1,000,000
	Total operating expense for Strong Agriculture, Food and Bio-product Sectors and Strong Rural Communities		$497,748,300
	Capital expense
108-7	Agriculture and Rural Affairs Capital
	Transfer payments
	Agri-Food and Animal Health Laboratory Infrastructure	$500,000
	Research Infrastructure Maintenance and Repairs	$4,500,000
	Research Infrastructure Renewal	$2,500,000	$7,500,000
	Total capital expense to be voted		$7,500,000
	Total capital expense for Strong Agriculture, Food and Bio-product Sectors and Strong Rural Communities		$7,500,000

Policy Development - vote 109

The Policy Division is responsible for leading and coordinating the development of innovative, evidence-based policy analysis and advice in support of ministry and government priorities. The division does this in support of the overall ministry objective to foster economic growth in Ontario's agri-food sectors and rural communities, while providing assurance and oversight of the agri-food system as well as protecting the productive capacity of our natural resources. The division also oversees administration and delivery of farm business risk management programs and the management of the ministry’s strategic partnership with Agricorp.

Vote summary

Item number	Item	Estimates 2021-22	Estimates 2020-21	Difference between 2021-22 and 2020-21	Actual 2019-20
	Operating expense
1	Policy development	$16,251,800	$16,379,600	($127,800)	$16,345,205
	Total operating expense to be voted	$16,251,800	$16,379,600	($127,800)	$16,345,205
	Total operating expense	$16,251,800	$16,379,600	($127,800)	$16,345,205

Standard account by item and sub-items

Vote- item number	Standard account by item and sub-items	Amount
	Operating expense
109-1	Policy development
	Salaries and wages	$12,167,600
	Employee benefits	$1,586,500
	Transportation and communication	$554,400
	Services	$1,793,000
	Supplies and equipment	$150,300
	Total operating expense to be voted	$16,251,800
	Total operating expense for Policy Development	$16,251,800

Updated: October 18, 2021

Published: April 21, 2021

Footnotes

footnote[1] Back to paragraph Total operating expense includes statutory appropriations, special warrants and total operating expense to be voted.