City of Peterborough

Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 3, 2018
Peterborough, ON --

Peterborough Farmers’ Market

The Corporation of the City of Peterborough has been following the discussion surrounding
transparency regarding the source of products at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market and the
internal dispute among members of the market, which is an independent, incorporated, not-for-
profit organization that is overseen by a volunteer board of directors. The Peterborough &
District Farmers’ Market Association rents space from the municipality in the parking lot and
Morrow Building at Morrow Park for its weekly market activities. Peterborough Farmers’ Market
members, who are the vendors and farmers that operate at the market, elected a new board in
April 2017. Since then, the market members have taken several actions to respond to the
concerns that have been expressed by some individuals regarding the operation of the market.

While the City maintains a landlord-tenant relationship with the Peterborough Farmers’ Market,
the City wishes to provide the following information from the market to provide some
clarification regarding the activities that are underway to enhance the Peterborough Farmers’
Market. The Peterborough Farmers’ Market membership has directed its board of directors to
undertake the development of a strategic plan for the market, to establish new bylaws
regulating the operation of the market, to complete a financial audit, and to create a new
website for the organization.

Mark Jones, Peterborough Farmers’ Market director of marketing, states, “All of the above will
set the course for a new way of governing the market moving forward into 2018. We have
been extremely busy with the above set of objectives along with addressing the day-to-day
operations. In the midst of all of this, we have businesses to maintain and family
responsibilities. We are very passionate about our market and its future. This is why we
volunteer our time and continue to work towards change, along with completing the above
items.”

The Peterborough Farmers’ Market has reviewed its application process for vendors in
conjunction with the process to update its bylaws and operations manual. It stipulates that all
produce and products must be 100% Ontario grown and produced.

“We live in a province that is rich and plentiful from Niagara-on-the-Lake tender fruit and
delicious wine to the flavourful vegetables that grow in the Holland Marsh, and the list goes
on,” Jones says. “Ontario is a major producer of corn, fruit, soybeans, nursery plants, flowers,
vegetables, eggs, lamb, pork, beef and general dairy products. We want to keep everything
here so that the Ontario farming industry can continue to thrive, support the economy and feed
our families nutritious foods.”

Municipalities have the authority to regulate farmers’ markets and other similar types of
markets under Section 113 of the Municipal Act. City of Peterborough Chief Administrative
Officer Allan Seabrooke has had conversations with the Peterborough Farmers’ Market board
and some of the market members who have expressed concerns. The Farmers’ Market board
and its general membership have taken actions to proactively respond to the situation.

To enhance transparency for customers regarding the products they purchase and to respond
to infighting between vendors, the Peterborough Farmers’ Market is implementing a new
signage system, Jones says.

“The customer is key here – they will decide how they want to shop and who they would like to
buy from, feeling confident they are able to make an informed choice,” he says. “Everyone is in
favour with regard to transparency. We believe it is important for us to ensure that we continue
to have a sustainable food distribution system in Ontario. We will continue to work alongside
our small-scale farmers, commercial farmers, Foodland Ontario and the Ontario farmers that
supply our Ontario Food Terminal. Without this formula, we, the Saturday Peterborough
Farmers’ Market will not exist as one of the largest, diverse and unique markets in the
province.”

The farmers’ market rolled out a soft launch of its new signage system for its vendors in
August 2017. As the full implementation occurs, each vendor will be required to display
signage as follows:

 “We Grow” – Vendors will identify the produce they grow on their “We Grow” sign;
 “We Support” – Vendors who sell items grown or produced by others would list these
items on their “We Support” sign to indicate to customers that the items are not grown or
produced by the vendor selling the product and allowing the customer to decide if they want
to purchase them or not;
 “We Produce” – Vendors who produce the items being sold at the market, for example
honey or candles produced, will identify those items on a “We Produce” sign.

The signage system is being implemented by the farmers’ market vendors through a decision
by the elected board of the farmers’ market. Several farmers’ markets across Ontario already
use a similar signage system, Jones says.

“It works rather well,” remarks Jones. “There is a governance factor to it and it takes time to
make sure everyone is being transparent. This is the main reason why so much time and effort
is being put into our bylaws, operations and strategic plans. The soft roll out of the new
signage allowed us to have meaningful conversations and obtain feedback from our
customers, members and vendors. We have finalized the design for these signs and will be
rolling them out in early 2018. This will be a significant investment for us and funds will be
allocated from our 2018 marketing budget to implement the program.”
As the owner of space rented by external agencies and businesses for uses such as concerts,
trade shows, sports activities and other events, the City does not endorse any products or
services put forward by outside agencies and businesses renting City space. The City has
provided the information in this media release in response to enquiries regarding activities at
the farmers’ market. The Peterborough Farmers’ Market is an independent, incorporated
organization that rents space from the Corporation of the City of Peterborough for its activities.

This information is available on our City of Peterborough website at www.peterborough.ca.

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For further information please contact:

Wayne Jackson, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Utility Services

City of Peterborough
500 George Street North
Peterborough, ON K9H 3R9
705-742-7777 ext. 1890
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755 ext. 1890
wjackson@peterborough.ca