District 5 Meeting Recap | April 18, 2026 | Reported by the District 5 Fairs Web Team
Hosted by the Beeton Agricultural Society · Beeton, Ontario
The District 5 spring meeting was held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, hosted by the Beeton Agricultural Society, which is celebrating its 170th fair this year. Representatives from more than 20 fairs across Halton, Peel, York, Durham, Simcoe, and Metropolitan Toronto were in attendance. Here’s a full recap of what was covered.
Welcome & Guest Remarks
Provincial Director Lorna Wilson chaired the meeting, supported by Secretary-Treasurer Jamie Maynard and committee members Nancy Payne and Bev Donaldson. Committee member Cathy Pezzo was unable to attend.
Beeton Agricultural Society President John Rutten welcomed attendees and introduced two guest speakers.
Scott Davidson, MP – New Tecumseth–Gwillimbury offered brief remarks before heading back to his riding to address flooding in East Gwillimbury. He spoke warmly about the importance of agricultural societies in preserving rural heritage and community spirit, and took a moment to thank all the volunteers in the room for their dedication.
Brian Sanderson, MPP highlighted agriculture as Ontario’s largest economic engine at over $51 billion annually – ahead of automotive. He praised the multi-generational commitment of fair board volunteers and the vital role agricultural societies play in the social fabric of our communities.
Roll Call
Representatives introduced themselves and shared their 2026 fair themes and dates. Fairs represented at the meeting included:
Acton (113th) · Beeton (170th) · Bolton (168th) · CNE · Cold Water (133rd) · Country Heritage · Georgetown · Grand Valley (154th) · Great Northern (169th) · Halton Milton · Markham (182nd) · Orillia (176th) · Royal Winter Fair (104th) · Schomberg (176th) · Shelburne (159th) · Sutton (169th) · Woodbridge (179th) · and others
Financial Update
Secretary-Treasurer Jamie Maynard presented the financial update, distributed on the back of the meeting agenda. The books are in good order. Jamie also flagged that written reports submitted by fairs have varied widely in detail, and a standardized template will be introduced to make the process more consistent going forward. All fair reports should be submitted to Jamie by email.
Provincial Director’s Report
Lorna covered a full slate of OAAS updates on behalf of the province. Here are the highlights:
You Make the Difference Tour
Two District 5 stops remain on the schedule: Markham on April 24 and Floss/Elmvale on May 4. Registration numbers in our district have been lower than hoped – please attend whichever location works best for your schedule. You don’t have to attend the event in your own community. Food is provided, so pre-registration is recommended. If you were unable to pick up your promotional materials at the meeting, contact Lorna directly.
Building Community Leaders Program
Great news: the provincial government has renewed the grant funding for this program for another three years. This two-day leadership course covers governance, leadership, and risk management, and is open to anyone involved in an agricultural society – including staff. At approximately $125, it covers your hotel, meals, and all course materials. A list of 2026–2027 dates has just been released. It’s an exceptional value and highly recommended.
OAAS Convention 2027
The annual convention will be held February 18–20, 2027 at the Sheraton Parkway North. The hotel room block opens Monday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m. Both the Sheraton and Best Western fill up quickly each year. The Courtyard Marriott (half a block away) and the Hilton Garden Inn (across the street) are also available at group rates.
If you need to cancel a room, please contact the OAAS office directly – do not cancel through the hotel, as the room will be lost to the general public. A dedicated wait list exists for ambassador participants; contact the office to be placed on it.
Webinars
Four webinars are scheduled this season, covering topics including engaging youth and working with municipalities. If you can’t attend live, recordings are posted to the OAAS website (under Society Info) within a day or two. Past recordings from previous years are also still accessible there.
A webinar with IAFE’s David Grindle on the Community Impact Survey (see below) is scheduled for May 20.
First Impressions Program
Registration deadline is May 15. This “secret shopper” program sends you to another fair with a structured checklist and coaching, and your report goes back to that fair’s committee – a genuinely valuable exercise in seeing a fair through fresh eyes. Participants who complete the full program receive half their registration fee back. Let’s show strong District 5 participation this year. Find out more about The First Impression Program.
Awards & Certificates – Pricing Changes Effective June 1
- Award certificates remain at $12.50 each
- Lapel pins are no longer included with certificates – they can be ordered separately at $5 each
- Priority shipping (required for orders placed within 30 days of the certificate date) increases to $25
- Orders submitted within 30 days without priority shipping selected will not be processed – no exceptions
Plan ahead and order your certificates well in advance.
Scholarships & Youth Programs
The CCEA Scholarship deadline is June 30. At least six scholarships of $2,000 each are awarded annually to students entering their second year of post-secondary education. Last year, 19 applicants competed for eight awards. Details are on the OAAS website under Society Info → Youth.
The Youth of the Month program is accepting nominations monthly from June onward, recognizing up to three youth per month for their contributions to agricultural society events. Youth eligibility is ages 14 to 21 as of January 1.
The Young Professionals Exchange (under-40) with the Alberta Association of Ag Societies has an application deadline of August 31, 2026. Registration and hotel are covered; participants arrange their own travel.
Online Directory – Fair Dates Deadline
All fairs are required to update their upcoming fair dates in their Assist/Expo profiles by December 1 each year. Please update your profile as early as possible once your current fair dates have passed – this information feeds into the printed annual fair dates brochure and is shared with service members at convention.
Community Impact Survey
The OAAS, in partnership with the IAFE, the Alberta Association of Ag Societies, the Canadian Association, and Ag Shows of Australia, is conducting a global survey to quantify the community value of agricultural fairs and societies. A link was distributed by email on March 18 and is also on the OAAS website and social media. Please take the time to complete it – the data helps all of our societies make the case to municipal partners and beyond.
Key Stakeholder Survey
The OAAS Board is advancing its 2025–2027 strategic plan and is seeking input from member societies through a brief survey. Please complete it by May 31, 2026. Watch for the link by email.
Governance Resources
The OAAS is uploading all policies and procedures to the secure member section of the website, expected to be complete by May 15, 2026. Your fair’s secretary and district committee secretary were each provided a password to access this section. If you don’t have your password, contact Lorna.
Judging Schools
Committee member Nancy Payne reported on two upcoming judging schools:
- Photography – May 23 in Brampton. Only one person was registered at the time of the meeting; a minimum of six is needed to proceed. If you’re interested, please register immediately.
- Quilts – June 13 in Schomberg Community Hall. Registration is underway.
Nancy reminded all fairs to ensure that district competition categories – hand-quilted quilt, machine-quilted quilt, butter tarts, chocolate chip cookies, honey, and maple syrup – are clearly listed in your premium book, with a note that winners are eligible to advance to district and then to convention. Every entry must include the exhibitor’s full name, address, email, and phone number, as this information is now forwarded to the OAAS.
District 5 had several empty spots at the last convention – a disappointing result for the second-largest district in the province, especially given that convention is held right here in District 5. If your fair is not sending anyone to the October district meeting or to the February convention, please arrange for a neighbouring fair to bring your entries on your behalf. Contact the executive if you need help coordinating.
Note: The poster competition has been discontinued at both the district and convention levels.
CNE Presentation
Carmen, Agriculture Manager at the CNE, presented two opportunities for District 5 fairs:
Free Exhibition Space at the CNE: The CNE’s operations team is offering free booth space at this year’s fair – on a rotating basis – to District 5 fairs who would like to promote themselves to the CNE’s large audience. The CNE runs August 21 – September 7 this year, and space can be allocated for one or two days. The booth location will be near the midway. Contact the CNE operations team directly – Carmen has business cards available.
Quilt Exhibit Proposal: Carmen is exploring the possibility of displaying winning quilts from District 5 fairs in a dedicated exhibit space at the CNE. Many CNE visitors have never experienced the craftsmanship on display at our agricultural fairs, and this would be a wonderful opportunity to bridge that gap. If your fair would be interested in participating or can offer guidance on how to organize such a display, please reach out to Carmen.
Guest Speaker: Better Member Communication for Agricultural Fairs
Following the CNE presentation, Doug van Wolde of WeGo.ca Website Developers Inc. addressed a challenge familiar to many fair secretaries and executives: the growing unreliability of sending bulk email through standard tools like Outlook, Gmail, and Hotmail. Doug explained that major email providers have tightened their spam filters significantly in recent years, meaning important fair communications are increasingly landing in junk folders – or not arriving at all – with no indication to the sender. He introduced MailerLite, a free bulk email platform, as a practical replacement that offers reliable delivery, open and click tracking, built-in CASL compliance, and the ability to send from your fair’s own branded email address. The presentation included a live demonstration of the platform and a comparison of competing tools, and Doug offered to help any District 5 fair get set up. Read the full recap here.
Communications Reminder
Jamie reminded all fairs to keep their contact email addresses current. Bounced emails and outdated contacts are an ongoing issue. If your email has changed, or if you’d like to add a secondary address, let Jamie know at any time. Please also ensure that emails sent to official fair addresses are being checked regularly, even outside of fair season.
Member Packages
Each fair received a package at the meeting containing:
- Three OAAS member passes – each pass admits two adults to any participating fair in the province, and can also be used at the CNE and the Royal Winter Fair. Please encourage your members to use them, and ensure passes are returned after use so others can benefit.
- Competition cards – to be given to the correct person at your fair as soon as possible. Cards must be completed and posted with winning entries, and winner information must be forwarded to the district committee for the fall competitions.
- Directories – one large directory for your fair office, and smaller copies for your local library. Contact the OAAS office if you need additional copies.
New Business
Articles of Incorporation for Agricultural Societies
This was a significant discussion that touches on a long-standing issue affecting every fair in our district. Two members spoke to the topic.
Kathryn Lynch (Acton AG, past president) shared that she has been active on this file since convention. She has spoken with Minister Lisa Thompson via WebEx and met with both Vince and Senator Rob Black at convention. Minister Thompson quickly grasped the issue and suggested that Vince serve as the advocate for the OAAS, while expressing her wish to remain in the loop. She also acknowledged that OMAFA has historically gotten away with issuing “in good standing” letters as a workaround. Vince had asked to be the one to approach Minister Jones, but has not yet followed up. Kathryn agreed that the next logical step is to identify a federal MP who can champion this issue, and that Senator Black may be well placed to recommend the right person. She has offered to follow up with Senator Black directly.
Doug van Wolde (Markham Fair / Uxbridge Fair) recapped his recent conversation with Vince – with Lorna present – regarding a 30-plus-page brief he produced outlining the importance of articles of incorporation and the benefits to each fair. That brief was prepared for submission to Senator Rob Black. Doug confirmed via a private registrar that individual articles of incorporation do not exist for any of our fairs anywhere within the government system.
He also clarified an important distinction: having a CRA business number, a charity registration, and filing CRA submissions does not mean the government recognizes your fair as an incorporated entity – these are entirely separate parts of government.
A further practical consequence was raised: while OMAFA letters of good standing have been obtainable in the past, they are not accepted by third-party verifiers – specifically those vetting eligibility for nonprofit rewards, grants, or discounts offered by platforms such as Microsoft and Google. This is a real, present-day obstacle for our fairs, and it underscores why the OMAFA workaround is no longer sufficient.
The proposed path forward is to find a federal champion who can direct the province to create a streamlined process: each fair submits basic information, and the province issues individual articles of incorporation. This remains an active priority.
New Provincial Alcohol Policy (BYOB at Public Events)
A board member raised awareness of a recently announced provincial policy that would allow people to bring their own alcohol to certain public events. The concern is that agricultural fairs – which operate beer tents, run tractors, truck pulls, and demolition derbies, and have existing safety and monitoring protocols – could face challenges if the public misinterprets this as a blanket right to bring alcohol onto fairgrounds.
It was noted that municipalities must actively opt in and assume responsibility under this policy, and that the Trespass to Property Act continues to protect fair boards as operators of private events. The consensus was that it is unlikely to gain significant municipal traction – but being proactive is wise.
Agreed actions:
- A template letter will be drafted that any fair can adapt and send to their local municipality and government representatives
- The template will be distributed through Jamie
- Fairs are encouraged to review their signage and ensure security protocols are clearly communicated to gate volunteers
The fall 2026 District 5 meeting cannot be held before October 24. All fair reports are due to the OAAS by December 1. Meeting minutes will be circulated to all fairs in advance of the fall meeting.
A photo gallery from the spring meeting is available at 2026 Spring Meeting Photo Gallery.
