How to find local food products when you’re shopping

Buying local has long been an important part of our agriculture and food production system – and we often get asked how you can find Ontario or Canadian products near you.

In Ontario, we’re lucky that our climate and our soils let us grow and raise more than 200 different food and farm products right here at home.

From fruits, vegetables, honey, plants and flowers to meat, dairy, eggs, fish and grains – and whether fresh, frozen, processed, pickled or canned, we are proud of what we can grow right across our beautiful province.

The bounty is especially plentiful in spring, summer and fall – but even in the midst of this snowy winter, there is a wide range of locally produced food available.

Apples, carrots, potatoes and root vegetables, for example, are kept fresh through innovative storage technologies so we can enjoy them all winter long.

There is a plethora of Ontario meat and poultry in our grocery stores, butcher shops, farmers’ markets and independent retailers, as well as a wide variety of eggs, and milk, cheese, cream, butter, yogurt and ice cream made from 100% Canadian milk.

Ontario’s indoor produce sector provides produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and strawberries; and vertical farms produce leafy greens, microgreens and baby greens. Many frozen vegetables and fruit are also grown in Ontario, and many wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries use locally grown ingredients like grapes, hops, grains and apples.