Ontario Agricultural Equine Economic Impact Study 

The agricultural equine sector makes a significant economic contribution nationally and provincially. The impact of our Ontario industry is diverse, with involvement in a variety of activities including, but not limited to, farming, racing, performance, sport, recreation, therapy, tourism, education, pharmaceutical, and medical. In addition to the economic benefits, horses provide significant environmental advantages by grazing on land that is unsuitable for growing crops, thereby promoting natural land management, provincial greenspace, and sustainability of rural agricultural areas.

However, we lack current data on the size and contribution to the provincial economy.  There has not been a comprehensive economic impact assessment conducted of the overall Ontario agricultural equine sector since 2010, almost 15 years ago.  At that time, the study estimated 212,500 horses in Ontario, supporting an estimated 143,169 direct full-time equivalent jobs in the province as it is a very labour-intensive sector. Average direct on-farm expenditures totalled almost $3.8 billion dollars, with an additional $872 million in off-farm expenditures. It is critical that our industry has updated data.

Information on the entire agricultural equine industry in Ontario is limited, and credible, current data is even less. This means the public is largely unaware of the industry as a whole in Ontario. The findings from this study and resulting report can increase public and governmental awareness and support by transparently showing the potential benefits and costs associated with the overall agricultural equine sector or a specific project or policy.