Canada’s greenhouse industry takes flight at Ontario airport

Known as the leader in Canada’s greenhouse-grown space, Ontario has launched a high-profile consumer education campaign that is literally taking off.

The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ “This is Greenhouse Goodness” campaign has converted the baggage claim area at Windsor International Airport to resemble a greenhouse farm. The campaign is designed to showcase the high concentration of greenhouses, achievements and innovation of the sector in southwestern Ontario, according to a news release.

Travelers arriving at Windsor can experience the benefits of Ontario-grown greenhouse produce through OGVG’s educational messaging that promotes the health attributes of greenhouse vegetables as well as the sustainable growing practices adopted by the region’s growers, the release said.

"The Windsor International Airport represents the dedication and innovation that truly defines Ontario's greenhouse vegetable growers," Richard Lee, OGVG executive director, said in the release. "We are proud to be the largest exporter of fresh, nutritious greenhouse produce that contributes significantly to the economic vitality of our region supporting food security.”

Windsor-Essex is positioned at the heart of Ontario's agriculture and agritech sector, which employs over 32,000 people, the release said. The region is one of the largest greenhouse clusters globally, OGVG says. Each year its farms produce more than 503 million kilograms of fresh, Ontario-grown greenhouse produce.

The designated greenhouse area is slated to remain at the airport over the next two years, the release said. 

The OGVG represents more than 170 greenhouse operators growing over 3,800 acres of fresh peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Over the past decade, the sector has experienced a growth rate averaging 6% annually — growth it is poised to continue, OGVG says.