More than 55 agricultural and equine businesses, and organizations from across northern Ontario, showcased their products and services at this year's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
With the help of $470,000 from FedNor, the Northern Ontario Agri-food Pavilion, which is designed to highlight exhibitors from across the region, was always busy with visitors.
"By having the northern Ontario pavilion down here, it give the opportunity for the small businesses to find new markets outside of the north," Fednor Initiatives officer Guy Paquette told BayToday. "They deal with new distributors, new wholesalers and offer their products and services to a wider audience."
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair takes place every November in Toronto and it was the fifteenth year for the northern showcase.
"We have over 7,000 square feet of exhibitor space in the pavilion," Paquette explained. "It's been very successful. Every year we attract businesses from all 11 districts of the north."
The Northern Ontario Agri-food Pavilion is the largest exhibit at the fair.
Special events at the Northern Ontario pavilion included food samplings, a chef competition, as well as taste testing offered by Northern Ontario beer, wine and spirits producers.
The Royal is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world.
With over one million square feet of displays and competition facilities, The Royal draws in 300,000 visitors annually.
