Farmers who host tourists may soon gain protection from lawsuits because Matthew Rae, member of the Ontario legislature for Perth-Wellington has introduced a bill called the Growing Agritourism Act.
It protects farmers who warn people of the inherent risks of visiting a working farm in Ontario by installing a simple sign or by signing a contract.
Rae said farmers are liable under the Ontario Liability Law every time someone gets hurt while visiting the farm — even if the farmer has done everything possible to mitigate those risks. That is costing agritourism operators thousands of dollars in extra insurance premiums. One is facing three tourist lawsuits, each for a million dollars or more.
Kevin Vallier, chief executive officer for Agritourism Ontario which has about 300 members said they support Rae’s bill.
"This act doesn't give carte blanche for agritourism operators to do whatever they want and never get sued," he told CBC News.
"It just provides a layer of protection because when you walk onto an active working farm, there are of course inherent risks. The ground is uneven, the grass could be wet, if you're feeding a baby goat, it might nip your finger."
One gentleman actually stepped over two barriers that prevented public access and then injured themselves," Vallier said.
"It can be incredibly frustrating for owners to because then, of course, their insurance goes up."
