agricultural research institute of ontario
agricultural research institute of ontario act, r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13
2 (1) the agricultural research institute of ontario, a body corporate responsible to the minister, is continued under the name agricultural research institute of ontario in english and institut de recherche agricole de l’ontario in french. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 2 (1) .
the agricultural research institute of ontario provides advice to the minister on strategic directions for research activities that contribute to prosperous, competitive and sustaina ble agricultural and food sectors and rural communities in ontario. ario is also an advocate for the future of omafra' s research system .
the agricultural research institute of ontario (ario) was created in 1962 and continues its mandate under the agricultural research institute of ontario act. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13 as amended (ario act) and reports to the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs (omafra) .
increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research .
1. foot note: kpmg. development of a comprehensive agri - food r & d infrastructure strategy for the agricultural research institute of ontario: background research paper. march 7, 2008 .
the agricultural research institute of ontario is a corporate body which reports directly to the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. it was created in 1962 by the ario act to :
( 6) a majority of the members of the research institute constitutes a quorum .
the agricultural research institute of ontario (ario) is classified as a board - governed provincial agency reporting to the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. ario is focused on ensuring ontario maintains its competitive advantage in agri - food and agri - products research and innovation and concentrates its efforts in these four ways :
established in 1874, the ontario agricultural college (oac) is a founding college of the university of guelph and is canada' s largest and most renowned agricultural college. oac is a global leader in education, research and service focusing on agriculture, food, the environment and communities .
“research institute” means the agricultural research institute of ontario. (“institut de recherche”) r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 1; 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (1); 2009, c. 33, sched. 1, s. 3 (1) .
12 (1) there shall be a comptroller for the research institute who is responsible to the director of research .
ongoing discussions with beef farmers of ontario regarding the consolidation of beef research at elora and new liskeard continued throughout 2015 .
( 4) the director of research may direct the research institute to exercise its powers under subsection (3) and the research institute shall comply. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (6) .
( 3) an easement or covenant entered into by the research institute may be assigned to any person designated by the director of research .
investments in research and innovation will enhance the sustainability and profitability of ontario' s agri - food and rural sectors, strengthen ontario' s economy and create more good jobs for the people of this province .
research stations and infrastructure are an important platform for conducting agri - food research. ario owns 14 research stations and 3 agricultural colleges located across ontario. these facilities provide the capacity for research on a wide variety of agri - food issues. an ario - led reinvestment strategy is currently being implemented to revitalize research infrastructure to support demand - driven research. more about the properties .
a world - wide scan of how other jurisdictions organize and manage agricultural and agri - food research and development infrastructure was completed by kpmg on behalf of ario 1. this scan concluded that jurisdictions around the world who lead in agricultural research and innovation have these success factors for agri - food and agri - products research and innovation strategic business planning and infrastructure capacity :
advisory body providing strategic direction for research activities that support competitive, sustainable agriculture, food and rural sectors in ontario .
the institute provided the foundation for, and is a key component of, the omafra research advisory network (oran). the network identifies priorities for omafra funded research and guides research program development .
( 5) when the term of a member of the research institute expires, he or she continues to be a member until a successor is appointed .
14 lieutenant governor in council may make regulations defining agricultural lands for the purposes of this act. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (12) .
for a full listing of research institutes, centres and groups at the university of guelph, visit the office of research website .
( 2) the research institute may take by gift, grant, donation or bequest money for use in research or the conservation, protection or preservation of agricultural lands. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 4 (2); 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (5) .
under the ario act, the institute may accept gifts, grants, donations or bequest money for use in research and the director of research holds and administers these funds received
in trust
.
welcome to the new e - laws. it’s now easier than ever to find ontario laws. we welcome your
( 6) a sale, lease or other disposition made by the research institute under this act may be for purposes unrelated to the objects of this act if any proceeds or benefits obtained by the research institute as a result are used for those objects. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (6) .
mission: ario' s mission is to facilitate leadership and investment in research infrastructure that is fundamental to the enhancement of ontario' s rural and agri - food value chain .
( 5) an easement or covenant granted to, entered into with or assigned to or by the research institute shall not be modified or discharged without the written agreement of the director of research or the research institute’s assignee, as applicable, and the owner or subsequent owners of the real property against which the easement or covenant is registered. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (7) .
the director of research of ario is appointed under the ario act to administer the business and affairs of the institute. the director of research is the adm of research & corporate services division. continued training & orientation of ario membersensure ministry staff & ario members are familiar with ario - omafra memorandum of understanding (mou) which details all roles & responsibilities as defined in the ario act
advises minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs on strategic directions for research activities. * advocates for future of omafra' s research system * key component of omafra research advisory network (oran); identifies priorities for funded research and guides research program development comprised of ario director of research and up to 15 members who reflect ontario' s agri - tech industry; a director from agriculture and agri - food canada serves as ex - officio to ario. research and innovation branch of the ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs provides secretariat support to ario and administers research programs on behalf of ario .
the lric at elora: the livestock research and innovation corporation (lric), representing the primary livestock commodity groups (beef farmers of ontario, ontario pork, dairy farmers of ontario and the poultry industry council) have confirmed 20% support for the capital costs of redevelopment of elora into the livestock research and innovation complex. this has established a new model of shared investment between industry and government that will be used for all future centres under the ario' s infrastructure strategy and is demonstrated through the dairy industry contribution of $ 5million (20 %) towards the $ 25 million new dairy research facility recently completed .
planning continues on a new facility for the guelph turfgrass institute and the relocation of research plots with detail design underway. a transfer payment between the university of guelph and ario was signed and initial funds transferred .
the agri - food and agri - products industry contributes more than $ 33 billion (thirty three billion dollars) to the ontario economy and employs approximately 700, 000 people. research and innovation are key contributors to the strength of ontario' s agri - food industry. ontario is a top innovator in agri - food, developing value - added products and providing industry solutions that contribute to a competitive and sustainable agri - food sector .
raise industry and the public' s awareness (through outreach events such as canada' s outdoor farm show) of ontario' s agri - food research priorities and strategic partnerships that align with stakeholders (e. g. industry, aafc, and universities, particularly the uofg) and that strengthen ontario' s agri - food research and innovation system .
omafra engaged infrastructure ontario on behalf of ario to acquire additional land to expand the elora research station to support current activities and future development. this acquisition is expected to be completed during the first half of 2016 .
in conclusion, to continue enabling ontario' s economic growth, ontario needs to focus its agri - food and agri - products research and innovation, on the development of innovative products, safe food and sustainable and efficient production. to do so effectively, ontario' s agri - food and agri - products sectors must have the appropriate research and innovation infrastructure platforms, with oversight by new governance models that reflect increased industry investment, access, and involvement in partnerships between government, industry and academia .
( 1. 1) the corporations act does not apply to the research institute. 2017, c. 20, sched. 7, s. 76 (1) .
5 except with the approval of the minister, the research institute shall not incur any liability or make any expenditure that is not provided for in the income for the research institute unless provided for by money appropriated therefor by the legislature or for which funds otherwise have been furnished therefor. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 5 .
in addition, ario is collaborating with omafra, agriculture and agri - food canada (aafc) and other innovation partners to leverage opportunities under gf2, a federal, provincial and territorial agricultural policy framework. gf2 in ontario was announced jointly by canada and omafra on april 2, 2013 and focuses on innovation, competitiveness and market development initiatives .
in addition, innovative projects are receiving a higher level of government support through ontario' s gf2 cost - share programs for producers, processors and collaborations and organizations .
ario presented the following recommendations to the former minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs
defining an infrastructure strategy for agri - food and rural research, discovery, adaptation and commercialization in ontario
in 2008 .
( 3) the research institute shall include such additional content in the annual report as the minister may require. 2017, c. 34, sched. 46, s. 3 .
currently ario receives industry funding as a condition of previous capital investments to industry by the province under the ontario ethanol growth fund (oegf) to be used to support omafra' s open research programs administered by ario .
( d) perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the director of research or by the research institute. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 12 .
ario continues to seek out non - government sources of capital investment from agricultural and agri - food related industry partners. the livestock sectors have agreed to the current model being used to develop the dairy research facility at elora, whereby, industry will provide 20% (twenty percent) of the capital costs of any construction / redevelopment projects .
significant upgrades to the winchester site (eastern ontario component of a network of integrated field crop sites) including people, equipment and land (tiling) were put in place for the 2015 growing season .
10 the director of research shall have supervision over every program for which funds have been supplied by the research institute. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 10; 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (11) .
champions will define the infrastructure requirements to support the value - added vision for agri - food research, discovery, adaptation and commercialization in ontario, expecting that they include provincial, federal and other infrastructure capacity .
9 (1) there shall be a director of research appointed by the minister who shall be the administrator of the business and affairs of the research institute. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 9 (1); 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (8) .
6 the accounts of the research institute are subject to audit by the auditor general. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 6; 2004, c. 17, s. 32 .
the research and innovation branch of the ministry provides secretariat support to ario and administers research programs on behalf of ario. the following staff play a key role :
provide operational and managerial oversight of the 17 agri - food research properties comprised of over 300 buildings, 6, 500 acres of land and over 40 tenants (both government and non - government) to ensure effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs .
ario and its members undertake focused activities to generate increased awareness of omafra' s agricultural, agri - food and agri - products priorities and generate buy - in for the ario' s infrastructure strategy through increased ario member engagement with agri - food industry stakeholders .
( 1. 1) the not - for - profit corporations act, 2010 does not apply to the research institute. 2017, c. 20, sched. 8, s. 62 (2) .
4. 1 (1) an easement or covenant entered into by the research institute under subclause 3 (f) (i) may be registered against the real property affected in the appropriate land registry office .
7 (1) the research institute shall prepare an annual report, provide it to the minister and make it available to the public. 2017, c. 34, sched. 46, s. 3 .
( 8) the members of the research institute shall receive such remuneration and expenses as the lieutenant governor in council determines. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 2 (4 - 8) .
the ontario ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs (omafra) is the provincial lead overseeing ontario' s thriving agri - food industry. omafra works to advance the government' s efforts to promote a more competitive and productive agri - food and agri - products sector, and economic growth and opportunities for rural ontario. omafra supports rural and urban communities and a high quality of life for all ontarians. keys to achieving success include strong rural communities, thriving agriculture and food sectors, and, safe food, healthy animals and a healthy environment .
ario provides operational and managerial oversight of the infrastructure portfolio to ensure effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs. ario also provides oversight and the effective administration of current omafra open research programs and all financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial consolidation of ario with omafra with respect to these activities .
8 the research institute shall submit to the minister such reports on its financial affairs and the progress of its work as the minister from time to time requires. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 8 .
the risk of loss is low. ario has owned the research properties since 2007. there are no significant property losses or destruction on record during ario' s ownership or during the previous ontario government ownership of these properties. leases and occupancy agreements require tenants (including the uofg) to carry adequate liability insurance. tenants are required to include ario and the government as additional insureds on their policies. ario as an agency of the government is included in the government of ontario' s self insurance scheme per ontario government policy. if ario' s existing resources are insufficient a request for funding for repair of damage would be made to the ministry. lease revenue and capital tp are available to assist with repair of major and uninsured damage when it occurs .
provide operational and managerial oversight of the 17 agri - food research locations comprised of over 300 buildings, 6, 500 acres and over 40 tenants (both government and non - government) to ensure continuing effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs .
( 5) money received by the research institute under subsection (2) or (3) shall be held in trust by the director of research and be used for the purposes of this act in accordance with the terms, if any, on which it was given. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (6) .
advance the ario' s infrastructure strategy through internal and external communication opportunities and materials that provide progress updates on efforts working with industry stakeholders / partners to modernize research infrastructure that supports ontario' s agri - food sector' s competitiveness .
( 4) an assignee may enforce the easement or covenant against the owner or subsequent owners of the property as if it were the research institute even if the assignee owns no appurtenant land or real property that would be accommodated or benefited by the easement or covenant .
the ario director of research administers the business and affairs of ario and is appointed to the position by the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs .
( 6) the authority to delegate under subsection (4) does not apply with respect to the director’s duty to hold in trust money received by the research institute. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (10) .
while continuing the work of managing the research infrastructure portfolio and the administration of omafra' s open research programs, ario recognizes the importance of continuing with implementation of the ario' s infrastructure strategy and looks forward to the next phases of development and implementation of the ario' s infrastructure strategy in the year ahead .
the advice provided to the minister by ario is an important part of setting the direction & resource allocation for agricultural and agri - food related research in the province. ministry staff work closely with and assist ario members in developing recommendations made by ario to the ministry. ario only provides advice to the minister. all decisions on research direction & resource allocation are the responsibility of the ministry & take into account ario recommendations & other stakeholder recommendations / feedback .
ario' s strategic priorities in supporting the omafra' s current goals and objectives are described in section d and are summarized under four main categories as: 1) strategic advice 2) leadership - implementation of the ario' s infrastructure strategy 3) promoting ontario agri - food and agri - products research & innovation 4) managerial oversight - of the ario owned research infrastructure .
vineland research and innovations centre (vric) at vineland: construction of a new research greenhouse facility was completed in the fall of 2015. vric is planning a grand opening for june 2016 .
ongoing effective administration and managerial oversight of the current research infrastructure portfolio is provided by the secretariat .
( 2) the research institute shall consist of not more than fifteen members appointed by the minister. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 2 (2); 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (2) .
7. 1 the minister shall table the research institute’s annual report in the assembly and shall comply with such directives as may be issued by the management board of cabinet with respect to when to table it. 2017, c. 34, sched. 46, s. 3 .
continue ongoing support to research priority setting by providing advice via participation in omafra research advisory network (oran) on new and existing research for the agri - food and agri - products sectors .
continued to support modernization of research program administration through ongoing development of the research management system (rms). focus continued to be on increasing functionality and capacity of rms to capture and retrieve more research results data, and to accelerate knowledge translation and transfer, thereby, increasing adaptation and commercialization opportunities .
ario plays an important role in modernizing the agri - food and agri - products research and innovation system. for example, ario has recommended an approach to the minister that omafra is adopting to modernize the agri - food research and innovation system. omafra has begun implementing some of the various phases of this strategy. the ario' s infrastructure strategy initiative is the road - map for modernizing research infrastructure and strengthening innovation in ontario by providing state of the art, modern research platforms necessary to support development of new value added products and technological innovation and commercialization according to the following key criteria of the stakeholder - endorsed policy framework :
continue to provide effective and efficient administration of financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial reporting, consolidation with omafra, and administration of open research programs and other transfer payment agreements on behalf of omafra .
under the research and innovation designated program (canada - ontario gf2 bilateral agreement), support is being provided to the agri - technology commercialization centre (atcc), innovation centres (such as vric, the livestock research and innovation corporation and others) and the university of guelph (uofg) knowledge translation and transfer, highly qualified personnel and commercialization activities through the catalyst centre .
rib provides all secretariat, administrative and managerial support functions for ario. with respect to research programs, enters into research funding agreements with research institutions. the structure of these agreements was developed and continues to be reviewed / modified by the legal services branch of the ministry of the attorney general assigned to support ario .
through focused outreach opportunities for the chair and members, build relationships between ario and industry stakeholders to broaden awareness, engage and seek support for omafra' s research and innovation priorities and the research infrastructure renewal necessary to maintain and strengthen ontario' s local, national and global competitiveness in the agriculture and agri - food and agri - product sectors .
4 (1) all property heretofore or hereafter granted, conveyed, devised or bequeathed for purposes of research to, or to any person in trust for, any institution of the ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs that is engaged in research is vested in the research institute, subject to any trust affecting the same. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 4 (1); 2009, c. 33, sched. 1, s. 3 (2) .
ario director of research is appointed by the minister under the ario act and is responsible for the business and affairs of ario. the current ario director of research is the assistant deputy minister, research and corporate services division and chief administrative officer of omafra. omafra (rib) provides administrative, operating and managerial support and acts as the ario secretariat. operational decision - making and approvals are made by the ario director of research, or his / her authorized delegate (s). the duties of the director of research are detailed in the ario act, as well as in the mou between ario and omafra .
through focused outreach opportunities for the chair and members, build relationships between ario and industry stakeholders to broaden awareness, engage and seek support for omafra' s research and innovation priorities and the research infrastructure renewal that is necessary to maintain and strengthen ontario' s local, national and global competitiveness in the agriculture and agri - food and agri - product sectors .
provide advice on the renewed uof g / omafra partnership agreement and on emerging research centre governance models e. g. livestock research & innovation corporation (lric) and the vineland research and innovation centre (vric) .
( 3) the minister shall appoint from the persons appointed under subsection (2) a chair and a vice - chair of the research institute. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 2 (3); 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (3) .
continue to look for opportunities for achieving operational efficiencies to support a world class integrated network of research platforms / facilities .
sponsor the creation of new partnerships across governments, with universities, research institutions and the private sector, where appropriate .
ario is consolidated for financial reporting purposes with omafra due to its close relationship, the ario' s reliance on omafra for research program funding and administrative support, and due to the
financial materiality
of ario resulting from the transfer of 17 agri - food research properties that had an approximate $ 60 million (sixty million dollars) book value in 2007 at the time of the transfer of the properties from the then ontario realty corporation to ario. ario is required to provide a three - year financial outlook to omafra for financial consolidation purposes .
( g) to develop and maintain programs for the conservation, protection or preservation of agricultural lands. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 9 (2); 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (9); 2009, c. 33, sched. 1, s. 3 (3, 4) .
implementation of the infrastructure strategy has been a catalyst for new, industry - influenced governance models that support the strong research and innovation capacity and boost ontario' s economy. the vineland research and innovation centre (vric) at vineland and more recently, the livestock research and innovation centre (lric) at elora have demonstrated industry' s increased commitment to supporting the agri - food innovation system in partnership with governments and the research community. these two centres and the proposed remaining centres (bioeconomy, food and health, and field crop production) will continue to drive the modernization of relationships between innovation partners - governments, industry and the research community, and lead to necessary operating efficiencies across ario and non - ario infrastructure .
provide effective and efficient administration and managerial oversight of current omafra open research programs (currently new directions, food safety, germplasm reinvestment, proof of principle etc. )
raise awareness to industry, government and the public (e. g. at stakeholder annual meetings, conferences) of the contributions that ontario' s agriculture sector (agri - food and agri - products research, innovation and knowledge transfer) makes to the province (in areas such as the economy; health; environmental protection; social good and job creation) .
provide effective and efficient administration and managerial oversight of all financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial consolidation of ario with omafra .
( 2) any easement or covenant registered against real property under subsection (1) runs with the real property and such easement or covenant, whether positive or negative in nature, may be enforced by the research institute against the owner or subsequent owners of the real property even if it owns no appurtenant land or real property that would be accommodated or benefited by the easement or covenant .
in addition to
increasing consumption of local food
and
open for business
, the omafra' s current strategic priority that most directly aligns with the ongoing work of ario is
increasing the competitiveness and productivity of ontario' s agri - food and agri - product businesses through market focused innovation
. for more information on ario' s on - going work see the attached appendices .
( 4) the director of research may delegate any of his or her duties, responsibilities or powers under this act to an employee or officer of the ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (10) .
research and innovation: creates new opportunities for the agri - food sector, supports enhancement of the public good by providing safe and healthy food and supports the sustainability of agriculture and the environment .
continued effective administration of omafra' s open research programs (new directions and food safety including additional specific calls related to bee pollinator health and climate change) and other research programs (e. g. plant germplasm royalty reinvestment) by research and innovation branch (rib) staff (ario secretariat). total annual expenditures of approximately $ 3 million (three million dollars) .
continue to provide effective and efficient administration of current omafra open research programs (e. g. new directions; food safety, germplasm reinvestment )
agri - food produces substantial economic returns. the greatest returns come from enhancing the value of food products and processes through research, innovation and knowledge transfer
a key role of ario is to provide strategic advice to the minister on agri - food and rural research. the current focus is on the ario' s infrastructure strategy, the partnership including ongoing research themes and priorities, and the emerging governance models under the ario' s infrastructure strategy (e. g. lric) and on the strategic direction of agri - food research in the province .
risk option: accept rationale: industry has helped to establish a precedent by committing to contributing 20% of the cost of the new elora dairy research facility now under construction. industry contribution will be one of the determinants in future decisions on which projects to support .
( 7) the director of research may appoint persons to advisory committees to assist him or her in the discharge of his or her duties. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (10) .
inability to effectively & efficiently operate & manage the infrastructure portfolio. all of the ario owned properties are operated & managed under agreements with third parties. the university of guelph operates & manages all of the properties except the vineland research station which is operated & managed by vric .
all ario business decisions are the sole responsibility of the director of research for ario. the ario director of research is currently an omafra assistant deputy minister (minister' s appointment). ario has no staff and all secretariat functions are provided by omafra through the rib. funding for programs and properties administered by ario is provided largely through omafra and the government' s budget process .
11 the director of research shall prepare and submit to the minister an estimate of all expenditures required during the next ensuing year. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 11 .
legal review of all agreements before they are finalized to ensure liabilities are minimized where possible. standardization of agreements where possible
governments around the world, including here in ontario, are faced with a sharply increased focus on public governance, transparency and accountability and value for money when delivering services and programs to citizens and businesses. new partnership models joining industry with governments and academia are key to the long - term success of the agri - food and agri - products industry, and are necessary for sustained economic prosperity and growth .
continue to advise the minister on research priorities and issues related to the agri - food and agri - products sectors .
academic institutions such as universities with an interest in agriculture, agri - food, and / or rural research priorities (e. g. u of g and trent university) ;
inherent government liability in ario agreements (e. g. leases, research funding etc .) allowing exposure to legal actions
13 subject to the approval of the minister, the research institute may purchase or arrange for the use of any invention or any interest therein, or any rights in respect thereof, or any secret or other information as to any invention, and apply for, purchase or otherwise acquire, any patents, interest in patents, licences or other rights conferring any exclusive or non - exclusive or limited right to make, use or sell any invention or inventions and to use, exercise, develop, dispose of, assign or grant licences in respect of or otherwise turn to account the property rights or information so acquired, and possess, exercise and enjoy all the rights, powers and privileges that the owner of any invention or any rights in respect thereof or the owner of a patent or invention or of any rights thereunder may possess, exercise and enjoy. r. s. o. 1990, c. a. 13, s. 13 .
working with the turfgrass industry and the university of guelph to develop detailed plans and begin implementation of relocating from the guelph research statiocontinue to refine, develop and implement investments in the three remaining centres (enhanced field crops; bioeconomy; food for health) .
revenues from ario' s property portfolio (tenants) are used to partially offset the cost of ownership and maintenance of the portfolio .
construction of the new dairy research facility at elora which began in the summer of 2013 was completed with a grand opening and open house held in may 2015. the barn was commissioned and the dairy herd moved in the fall 2015 and is now fully operational .
risk option: accept rationale: ario provides advice on research needs and resource allocation & is only 1 component of the decision making process. all decision making authority rests with the ministry. ario is only one part of the advice informing priority setting & resource allocation .
effective and cost efficient management of ario infrastructure / property portfolio achieved by the ario secretariat and the uofg (on behalf of ario) .
ario secretariat (research and innovation branch) is governed by omafra emergency and business continuity planning which is considered adequate for ario purposes .
scientists at our research centres work on projects to benefit canadian farmers, industry and canadians. we also maintain biological collections and resources .
providing administrative and managerial oversight of open competitive research programs (e. g. new directions, food safety), and the 17 ario owned research properties with over 6, 500 acres, 300 + buildings with a book value of approximately $ 83 million (eighty - three million dollars) (including capital projects under construction), and over 40 tenants that include government, not for profits, industry and private .
establish and enhance working relationships among key partners and stakeholders (e. g. lric, vric, agri technology commercialization centre [ atcc ]) to strengthen strategic partnerships to leverage communications / research / promotional opportunities to advance agri - food and agri - product research and innovation .
continue implementation of the infrastructure strategy leading to a modern, integrated agri - food and agri - products research and innovation system with industry - influenced governance models and infrastructure capacity, some owned by government and some by industry. upcoming activities related to the infrastructure component of the innovation strategy includes :
quorum for meetings is defined by the ario act as 50% of the appointed members the ario act allows members to continue to serve past the end of their term until they are replaced. appointments are at the sole discretion of the minister. ensure appropriate advertising of open positions through the pas system .
implement plans to ensure cross - training of staff occurs when needed. annual review of branch plans will pinpoint any required improvements in documentation for ario purposes .
( 7) the vice - chair shall, in the absence or disability of the chair, possess and exercise the powers and duties of the chair .
the ario' s infrastructure strategy is based on principles that include: i. a shared financial commitment with industry on all research infrastructure capital construction projects ii. an increased level of industry participation in priority setting and overall governance
level of funding from non - omafra sources that goes toward investment in infrastructure .
challenging regions across the province to develop concepts for regionally / sector - championed and supported centres for agri - food research, discovery, adaptation and commercialization .
this statement of investment policy expresses the investment objectives and constraints of the ario. in addition to providing a framework for general direction of the portfolio, it provides a basis upon which to periodically review and evaluate portfolio performance relative to appropriate asset class benchmarks .
a director from agriculture and agri - food canada serves as ex - officio to ario. he or she gives ario a federal perspective about research activities across canada .
ario is classified as a board - governed provincial agency under the agencies and appointments directive (aad), with a mandate to, among other things, provide strategic advice to the minister on agri - food research and related issues and interests, manage and hold funds (ario manages open, competitive research funds and other trust funds) and to acquire, maintain and dispose of real property in the manner described in the ario act .
tenants and delivery agents are carefully screened to ensure that they are compatible with ario' s mandate and direction. sublet agreements require director of research approvalall new leases / licences / operating agreements contain a clause that states that if assessments / pils increase as a result of the tenant / occupant' s activities they are liable for the increase. approval of new buildings to consider operating budget impacts including pils. in the case of a tenant owned building on ario property a land use agreement will be completed to spell out responsibilities & cost allocation .
continue to provide advice on the renewed the partnership including ongoing research themes and priorities, and the emerging governance models under the innovation strategy (e. g. lric) .
the long - term funding agreement and relationship between omafra and the uofg (the partnership agreement) is the primary vehicle for delivering omafra' s agri - food and agri - products innovation agenda and the supporting the ario' s infrastructure strategy put forward by ario. the agreement provides the research and innovation capacity to help attract and retain investment by government and industry for both discovery and applied scientific research. the uofg as the primary user of the ario properties has an active role in the new agri - food and agri - products research and innovation centres emerging under the ario' s infrastructure strategy and supported through gf2 .
ario is an operational services agency of the government and as such has a memorandum of understanding (mou) with omafra. the mou outlines the roles and responsibilities of both parties and how the ario act and the various government policies and directives apply to the relationship between ario and omafra .
ario shall engage the services of a professional investment firm for investment advice through a competitive process .
resources to meet ario' s goals and objectives are being provided through transfer payment funding from omafra as well as through secretariat services provided by the research and innovation branch (rib) of omafra. ario also receives some revenues from leasing land and buildings within its property portfolio. funding for major capital projects (implementation of the ario' s infrastructure strategy) is requested and approved annually as a key component of omafra' s prrt: program review, renewal and transformation process .
performance target: - average 20% of capital investment to come from non - provincial government sources .
instruments offered by the five major chartered banks, namely, royal bank, td canada trust, bank of montreal, canadian imperial bank of commerce and bank of nova scotia including gics, term deposits and bankers acceptances (note: investments can be greater than the $ 60, 000 cdic limit) .
the portfolio should be diversified, within constraints of ario investment policy, to reduce risk to capital .
funds are invested with a
conservative
strategy as required by the financial administration act to safeguard form capital losses of public funds. investment management firm (rbc as of april 2015) fees are based on the value of investments, so the firm has incentive to maximize value and returns and avoid losses .
centres will share in the direction of effort and results, providing regionally - championed, sector - oriented solutions .
infrastructure committee: committee membership currently includes members from ario and secretariat staff. the committee reviews proposals related to the properties, addresses operational issues affecting the ario infrastructure portfolio, and makes recommendations that are then presented to ario as a whole for discussion and ratification. recommendations are then made to the director of research for decision .
focus of the 2015 - 16 programs continued to be the completion of a number of existing large renovation projects. in addition, animal and human safety, regulatory and equipment failure issues were addressed on a case by case basis. over 70 projects were undertaken during the year including numerous physical infrastructure upgrades at ridgetown, huron, alfred, winchester and vineland .
the decision to consolidate ario with omafra for the purposes of financial reporting and budgeting and the very significantly increased focus on agency governance, transparency and accountability have greatly impacted financial and operational reporting activities of the secretariat resulting in a need for additional resources .
( b) acquire property or any interest therein by purchase, lease or otherwise and may dispose of all or any part of such property or interest therein by sale, lease or otherwise. 1994, c. 27, s. 5 (6) .
risk option: mitigate rationale: rib is focusing on developing succession plans. rib is in the process of implementing a pilot kms .
executive committee: provides long term strategic leadership to the ario including coordination of any other ario committee activities and, strategic advice to omafra .
the cost to administer the programs within ario (including the proportionate cost of salaries and benefits for omafra staff that spend varying portions of their time on ario issues) are paid from omafra' s budget within the allocation assigned to the rib. the current estimate cost to provide the ario secretariat functions is approximately $ 1. 3 million (one million three hundred thousand dollars) (part of rib budget) .
the ario comptroller (currently manager, corporate controllership in omafra) shall have responsibility to ensure the statement of investment policy is adhered to .
ario is comprised of up to 15 members appointed by the minister for omafra and this membership has been maintained at a level between seven and nine for many years. members of ario are recognized as leaders in the agriculture, food and rural sectors. they have been drawn from a broad cross section of commodity and business interests and geographic areas. members do not represent any particular organization but hold their position in their own right .
funding for the necessary staffing and operating resources required to support the administration of ario have been, and will continue to be, provided through rib budget allocations within omafra. these costs are estimated at approximately $ 1. 3 million (one million three hundred thousand dollars) annually. . ario has no staff of its own and rib provides all secretariat functions for ario. the actual cost of ario member per diems and travel related costs is relatively insignificant and is approximately $ 50k / yr of the $ 1. 3 million (one million three hundred thousand dollars) total .
provide liquidity, with a portion of the portfolio available to adequately meet short - term (up to 1 year) individual program and capital reinvestment cash flow requirements. investments may include treasury bills, government of canada / provincial bonds or coupons, and bankers acceptance paper maturing within one year .
ario provides advice to the ministry on program resource requirements and allocation. decisions on allocations are the responsibility of ministry. program: continue to identify allocation needs through the annual results - based planning (rbp) process, leverage additional funds from other levels of government (gf2), industry partners, & academia. infrastructure: continue to identify capital allocation needs through the annual results - based planning process, leverage additional funds from other levels of government, industry partners & academia. as part of 2014 - 15 prrt (rbp) process $ 15 million re profiled to fiscal 2018 and 2019
greater utilization of infrastructure across both ario portfolio and non - ario infrastructure, e. g. industry, government and academia achieve improved access and collaboration
the investment advisor shall prepare and provide a detailed monthly statement showing the composition of the portfolio at month end and shall report all transactions during the month .
note: on the day subsection 4 (1) of the not - for - profit corporations act, 2010 comes into force, subsection 2 (1. 1) of the act is repealed. (see: 2017, c. 20, sched. 7, s. 76 (2) )
note: on the day subsection 4 (1) of the not - for - profit corporations act, 2010 comes into force, section 2 of the act is amended by adding the following subsection: (see: 2017, c. 20, sched. 8, s. 62 (2) )
( 4) an appointment under subsection (2) shall be for a term of not more than three years but any person is eligible for reappointment .
the risk is low given the uofg' s experience in managing the same properties for many years. the licence agreement between ario, uofg & the ministry & the management agreement between ario & vric details all roles and responsibilities of each party for operation, management and maintenance of the properties. the uofg & vric submit an annual prioritized capital plan that details need property maintenance & repairs. decisions on funding are the responsibility of ario. there is a very good working relationship between ario, uofg, vric and the ministry. notice requirements in the licence agreement and management agreement provide ario adequate time to contract a replacement property manager if required. ario secretariat (research and innovation branch) is governed by omafra emergency and business continuity planning which is considered adequate for ario purposes .
need for an integrated research and development models, e. g. from producer to processor to consumer; or from basic, to strategic, to applied, to demonstration, to scale - up, to financing and commercialization. also means that different scientific disciplines are integrated into the overall model as appropriate
a comprehensive portfolio review and performance evaluation shall occur annually including performance of the portfolio, as well as updates on the current and future economic outlook and investment strategy .
below is a report on achievements in accordance with the current performance measures framework outlined in the ario mou and includes the current focus of the ario' s innovation strategy .
in december 2012, agriculture and agri - food canada (aafc) announced the federal - only agri - innovation program. this program includes the industry - led research and development agri - science cluster and agri - science project initiatives. the agri - science initiatives will mobilize scientific expertise across industry, academia and government .
continue to advise the minister and omafra senior management regarding the implementation and strategic positioning of the ario' s infrastructure strategy including both new investments and opportunities to achieve operational efficiencies .
note: on the day subsection 4 (1) of the not - for - profit corporations act, 2010 comes into force, subsection 2 (1) of the act is amended by striking out “body corporate” and substituting “body corporate without share capital”. (see: 2017, c. 20, sched. 8, s. 62 (1) )
ensure safety of capital over a 1 to 3 year time horizon by investing in high quality fixed income securities, including government bonds and / or professionally - managed pension level bond portfolios .
given the role and decision making structure of ario, overall risk (operational, financial, political etc) is very low; however, the ability to maintain financial commitments for the multi year nature of capital infrastructure construction projects can be impacted by changes in government and changes in government funding priorities, neither of which can be predicted with confidence over such a time frame. this risk is mitigated by the fact that the ario' s infrastructure strategy is now well underway and that significant funds for future phases have been transferred to ario and have been committed to individual projects .
other transfer payment initiatives administered by ario on behalf of omafra are developed in consultation with ario' s assigned legal support and omafra' s bpfmb ensuring compliance with transfer payment and accountability directives where appropriate .
the infrastructure renewal (program - related) portion of the program supports projects addressing animal care, including health, safety and well - being, program needs and priorities as well as some dedicated equipment replacements.
the agricultural research institute of ontario is an ontarian government crown corporation , established in 1962 , by the ario act , to " advocate areas of research for the betterment of agriculture , veterinary medicine and consumer studies " and " increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research " . it is located adjacent to the university of guelph campus . 
the agricultural research institute of ontario is an ontarian government crown corporation, established in 1962, by the ario act, to " advocate areas of research for the betterment of agriculture, veterinary medicine and consumer studies " and " increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research ". it is located adjacent to the university of guelph campus.
the agricultural research institute of ontario is an ontarian government crown corporation, established in 1962, by the ario act, to " advocate areas of research for the betterment of agriculture, veterinary medicine and consumer studies " and " increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research ". it is located adjacent to the university of guelph campus.