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“You can’t suck and blow at the same time. We’re talking about keeping our elbows up by Canadian support. Canadian. And then you have these draconian policies being implemented at all levels of government,” says Richard lee, Executive Director of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association, who joins Trina Semenchuk on Greenhouse Success Stories to expose the mounting obstacles faced by greenhouse growers in Ontario.

With decades of experience blending entrepreneurial spirit and environmental advocacy, Richard shares how everything from waste management to property taxation threatens the Canadian greenhouse sector’s growth and sustainability—and why municipalities might be driving innovative producers out of the country. His first-hand accounts reveal both crisis and opportunity, making for a provocative conversation anyone interested in the future of food, farming, and Canadian innovation shouldn’t miss.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Collaboration makes solutions possible—reach out to local municipalities, associations, and stakeholders to advocate for greenhouse-friendly policies before you build or expand.
2. Waste is opportunity in disguise. Audit your greenhouse packaging and waste streams, and connect with innovative recyclers to pioneer sustainable, circular solutions.
3. Fight for unified, fair regulations. Lend your voice to push for harmonized recycling, infrastructure, and trade policies that empower—not restrict—growers.
4. Don’t wait for disaster—secure your business. Work with associations to advocate for payment protection, business risk programs, and fair access to trade markets now.
5. Build strong relationships with community leaders. Schedule ongoing meetings, invite them on greenhouse tours, and celebrate shared successes to strengthen support for your operation’s future.

Memorable Quotes

"You can't suck and blow at the same time. We're talking about keeping our elbows up by Canadian support, and then you have these draconian policies being implemented at all levels of government. Don't get me wrong, it's not just municipalities that aim to contradict any future investment in greenhouse."

"We need to be proactive, not reactive. We keep playing this game of whack-a-mole—something pops up, we whack it, we're just chasing issues. We know what the growth trajectory is, we know what we need to do to support that trajectory. The question now becomes, do you want to support it? That's at the municipal, provincial, and federal level."

"Controlled environment agriculture, greenhouse is the future of agriculture and is where we need to continue to put our resources. The future is going to be bright, but we need to be proactive to support it."

Connect with Richard

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-lee-a8312b25b/

Connect with Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers

Website: https://www.ogvg.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-greenhouse-vegetable-growers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ONgreenhouseVeg

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ONgreenhouseVeg

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ongreenhouseveg

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