Fresh blood at the Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network: Éric Collard becomes the organization’s new executive director, succeeding Louis Béland, who held the position for several years.
Although he still has to visit his partners, Mr. Collard already has a clear vision of his mandate: to further develop agro-tourism experiences across Ontario, reminding visitors that it’s not enough to simply visit agricultural businesses—you also need to live the experience!
From Cyclo-Tourism to Cider-Tourism
Éric Collard is no stranger to the activities of the Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network. “As the executive director of the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail, I was already familiar with the Network’s board members, with whom I had the opportunity to collaborate. Louis Béland has left the organization in excellent shape,” he says.
However, he doesn’t shy away from making a tough observation: “Agro-tourism in Ontario is far less developed than in Quebec. It’s like cycle-tourism—it’s ten times bigger over there than it is here. Eastern Ontario is within close distance of Montreal and the Outaouais region. I think we need to court that audience and show them they can experience something unique just an hour from home.”
Why is Ontario lagging behind Quebec in this area? “Maybe it’s a matter of culture and funding. There’s also some administrative red tape that needs to be addressed to make it easier to develop new initiatives,” he believes. Mr. Collard plans to collaborate with vineyards, breweries, inns, and organic producers to develop a curated itinerary of must-experience activities.
