KENILWORTH – Ontario Premier Doug Ford joined local MPP Randy Pettapiece on March 13 for visits to two manufacturing facilities in the riding, including Wellington North-based Quality Homes.
“It was an honour to have Premier Ford in the riding yesterday afternoon,” said Pettapiece.
“Our government is committed to ensuring both Perth-Wellington and all rural Ontarians have a voice at Queen’s Park.”
The premier’s visit to the riding also included a tour of Gray Ridge Eggs in Listowel.
At Gray Ridge, Pettapiece and the premier met with local egg producers and toured Gray Ridge’s state-of-the-art facility. Gray Ridge is one of Perth County’s 30 egg quota-holding farms that produce about 16.5 million dozen eggs annually.
Barriers within the industry and the need to reduce red tape were among the topics discussed, states a press release from Pettapiece’s office.
“The innovation within agri-business is cutting edge,” said Pettapiece. “However, far too often innovation is stifled with regulations that are both outdated and redundant.”
The province aims to reduce red tape by 25 per cent by 2020, through its Ontario Open for Business Action Plan, the release states.
“By reducing red tape, agri-businesses in Ontario can focus on business growth and job creation, not paperwork,” said Pettapiece.
At Quality Homes, Pettapiece and Ford discussed affordable housing in Perth-Wellington and the government’s Housing Supply Action Plan.
“The need for affordable housing in Perth-Wellington is pressing and will only continue to grow,” said Pettapiece.
“To ensure the sustainability of our riding there is a need for a range of affordable housing types, including apartments, townhomes, and semi-detached homes.”
Pettapiece added, “Our discussions today with Premier Ford and industry representatives were very positive. Our government knows how pressing this issue is and we are committed to help alleviate some of the pressure.”
The Ontario government is committed to working alongside municipal leaders, industry stakeholders, and residents to meet the demand, the release states.
