Red tape still mires Sudbury farmers' market building

Sudbury’s farmer’s market is open for the season, but vendors may not be in a permanent facility for another year.

Eventually, the vendors will be able to sell their products inside the Canadian Pacific train station building in downtown Sudbury but, currently, they are set up outside the building in temporary units.

While the city owns the property around the building, the structure itself is technically on loan from Canadian Pacific, Sudbury's director of economic development for the city said.

Ian Wood added city staff will present a full plan detailing what the plan is for the building, and said information will likely come forward to council in November.

The building is sitting unused but, because it’s a national historic site, no work can be done on it until Parks Canada grants approval.

City Councillor Frances Caldarelli said the vendors won’t likely be in the building until next year, and added she doesn’t want to have any money spent until the full cost is known.

"We have to look at whether these are basic repairs necessary to the building," she explained.

"Then we have to look at the heritage issue to see what we are allowed to do."

No local produce yet

During it's opening weekend June 22, the market did not feature any local produce — a problem that is not unique in the city, thanks to the area's long winter and wet spring.

Farmers have blamed the weather for the delay in local food production, according to Eat Local Sudbury, which is also having problems bringing in local produce to its downtown store.

"Being so overcast and not having as much heat doesn’t give the plants the opportunity to grow," managing director Peggy Baillie said.

"Everyone says everything is about three weeks behind."

Baillie said she expects to have local produce on her shelves in the next two weeks.