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Flowers Canada Inc. holds 58th Annual General Meeting

Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. (FCO) held its 58^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Winter Event in St. Catharines Conference Centre.

As per a release, the event held on November 27, 2024, had 35 greenhouse flower farms in attendance in addition to representatives from the industry partners from throughout the floriculture industry.

Dr. Charles Hall, a speaker at this year’s event, spoke about the state of the floriculture sector in Canada and the United States, and how Canadian growers must articulate a value proposition to increase market share in Canada.

Other presentations included an announcement by Enbridge representative, Syed Hassan, P. Eng., about an incentive program available for agricultural retrofit projects submitted before July 1, 2025. Attendees also heard from John Anania of OMAFA on inflation and interest rates pre-and post-COVID19, followed by a discussion on sources of demand, revenues and margins, and opportunities and challenges for the floriculture sector specifically. Finally, executive director, Andrew Morse provided a thorough overview of FCO’s activities and efforts to support members and the greenhouse flower-growing sector since the last AGM.

Several grower representatives from the Niagara region attended a meeting prior to the AGM to select the new Niagara Greenhouse Growers Committee; a pilot initiative that aims to advocate and support greenhouse businesses, as well as address issues specific to the Niagara region and its twelve municipalities.

Ahead of the Winter Event, growers were treated to lunch and participated in the business part of the afternoon’s proceedings with FCO’s AGM. The members accepted By-Law 18 that was approved by the board in October 2024 to bring the association into compliance with the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act.

Joining the FCO board in 2024 are director Jason Wierenga of Wierenga Greenhouses.

Joining the FCO Executive Committee is the newly appointed president, Rodney Bierhuizen of Sunrise Greenhouses, with Arielle DeBoer of Rosa Flora continuing her role as vice-president, Gina Marchionda of Jeffery’s Greenhouses continuing in her role as treasurer and Brian Gatcke from Foliera continuing in his position as secretary. Other board members include John Oosterveld of Jarja International, Zach Redpath of Linwell Gardens and Jan VanZanten of VanZanten Greenhouses.

FCO members showed their appreciation for Ed Vermolen of Aldershot Greenhouses as he stepped down from the board of directors. Vermolen served as director in 2020-2021 and as president from 2021-2024.

More information can be found here.