Job Predictions

The increase in new rewarding jobs, related to the implementation of a Sustainable Food Systems, is expected to come from the substitution of imported food with locally-produced food products. It is expected that most of these jobs will be created in food production, processing, distribution and direct system inputs such as equipment, maintenance and seeds. Other jobs will be created in indirect support areas such as education, extension services and accounting.

• Downstream economic activity from production is called the multiplier effect. In the Ontario agriculture sector the output multiplier is 1.85. This is lower than the nation average for all sectors, which sits at 2.57. Part of the reason for this is that Ontario exports many primary food products to be processed. A rise in economic activity in this area will increase tax revenue for all three levels of government.
• In 2012, total food imports into Ontario were $20B and total food exports were $11B. An estimate of $1.1B represents food which cannot be grown in the Ontario climate such as oranges, coffee, sugar, bananas and cocoa. Many of these products could be substituted with alternative products that could be grown in Ontario. 
• The number of jobs related to farm revenue was calculated from three sources. $500 Million in farm revenue represents approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.