About

The Ontario equine industry has the data, the stories, and the community to make its case. What is has needed is a single, unified voice. The Ontario Horse Council is that voice – and it starts here.

Ontario’s horse industry is a substantial and diverse contributor to Ontario’s agricultural economy, delivering significant economic, social, and environmental benefits well beyond the sector itself. A landmark 2025 economic impact study — the most comprehensive assessment of the sector ever undertaken — confirms what those inside the industry have always known: the sector generates $8.2 billion in economic activity annually, contributes $4.4 billion to Ontario’s GDP, sustains 35,739 full-time equivalent jobs, and pays wages averaging $66,679 — higher than the average industrial wage in Ontario. The equine sector is a substantial contributor to Ontario’s agri-food system and rural economy and yet it remains largely invisible in provincial agricultural and economic development policy.

The Ontario Horse Council (OHC) is a proposed province-wide nonprofit organization established to change this. We represent the full spectrum of Ontario’s equine community — racing, sport, recreation, training, breeding, therapeutic, and a wide range of supporting business and services — and we exist to ensure that when government makes decisions affecting horses and the people who work with them, those decisions reflect the true scope and value of the industry.

The Problems

Despite its scale, Ontario’s equine sector faces four interconnected challenges that a unified provincial voice is uniquely positioned to address:.

Agricultural Exclusion. Only racing and breeding are recognized as agricultural businesses. Every other equine activity is locked out of farm tax exemptions, OMAFRA programs, and land protections.
Municipal Patchwork. Across Ontario’s 444 municipalities, zoning and land-use treatment is wildly inconsistent. What is permitted in one township is prohibited in the next.
Economic Reframing. A damaging misperception — in Ontario’s urban centres, horses, if considered at all, are widely seen as a hobby. In reality, the industry creates substantive employment at wages higher than most industrial jobs, houses rural and itinerant workers, and involves people all across Ontario, not just in the urban centres, who work tirelessly for the success of this industry and the love of the horse.
Workforce shortage. Skilled equine workers are increasingly hard to recruit and retain — with no provincial workforce programs or immigration pathways for the sector’s unique needs.

Our Response – Five Strategic Goals

The OHC is organized around six goals that together correct these inequities and build a stronger, more sustainable industry.

#	Goal	What We Are Working Toward
1	One Voice	Unite all equine sectors under one credible provincial voice that speaks with shared purpose to government.
2	Agricultural Recognition	Ensure all equine operations are eligible for Ontario agricultural programs.
3	Municipal Standardization	Establish consistent land use and zoning treatment for equine operations across all Ontario municipalities.
4	Workforce Sustainability	Address labour shortages through workforce programs, immigration pathways, and promotion of equine careers.
5	Accessibility and Growth	Open the industry to new communities — including young people and Ontario’s growing newcomer populations — and grow the next generation of horse people.

How we Operate

The OHC will launch as a grassroots, volunteer-driven organization — building credibility and membership before spending money. Our approach is phased and realistic:

Phase 1 (Year 1, near-zero budget): Incorporate, constitute the founding board, distribute the economic impact study to government, launch social media and a basic website, hold a founding member summit, and secure the first government meetings — all achievable by volunteers at minimal cost
Phase 2 (Years 1-2, membership-funded): Launch a founding membership drive with deliberately low dues to maximize breadth. A base of 30-50 organizational members generates the early revenue to sustain operations
Phase 3 (Years 2-3, external funding): An organization with documented membership, government meetings, and media presence is a fundable organization. Ontario Trillium Foundation, OMAFRA programs, and corporate sponsorship from equine industry suppliers become accessible once the proof of concept is established

Guiding Principles

Evidence-based advocacy – Our positions are grounded in data and documented experience. Inclusivity We represent every discipline, region, and background.

Transparency – We operate openly and build relationships rather than working around them.

Animal welfare – The wellbeing of horses is at the centre of everything we do.

About The Study

The economic data cited throughout this document is drawn from The Socioeconomic Impacts of the Ontario Agricultural Equine Industry in Ontario, 2025 — conducted by Econometric Research Limited and Harry Cummings and Associates, commissioned by the Ontario Harness Horse Association and the Ontario Equine Education and Employment Program, and supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. It is the most comprehensive economic assessment of the Ontario equine sector ever produced.

Click here to read the Ontario Equine Agricultural Industry 2026 Final Report Download