We Stand Out

Providing top quality plants since 2002

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Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
 

Providing top quality plants to the greenhouse industry across North America.

Ontario Plants Propagation is North America’s leading supplier of high-quality plants for hydroponic and organic greenhouse growers. We specialize in the propagation of greenhouse vegetable plants particularly tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants and more recently, potted herbs and berry plants. Ontario Plants Propagation is the largest of its kind in the North American market.

Founded in 2002 by Jack, Steve and Tim Vanderkooy with an initial greenhouse size of 7 acres the company has steadily grown with continuous greenhouse expansions over the years. Today the operation comprises 45 acres of high tech greenhouse facilities near London, Ontario. A team of more than 200 individuals are dedicated to the quality first mission.

Our experienced management team is led by members of the founding family and highly accomplished industry veterans. Our team has developed proprietary and sophisticated growing methods adopted from Dutch propagation best practices, technologies, systems, and equipment, that historically had only a limited presence in North America.

We are a company driven by customer needs and constantly working on new innovations to improve plant quality, service, sustainability, and product offerings.

 

Mission & Values

At Ontario Plants our top priority is to consistently produce the highest quality plants for customers across North America.

Our market leading position has been achieved by a strong focus on core values shared across
the organization.

 
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Always Reliable

We proactively engage customers and work to truly understand their needs. A deep understanding of agronomy and plant health, and world class infrastructure, enables us to be a reliable and professional supplier that strives to outperform.

 
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Teamwork

Innovation and professionalism in agriculture requires creativity, a sense of urgency, strong inter-disciplinary collaboration, and an entrepreneurial mind-set. Always taking a proactive approach our team is highly responsive to customer needs, industry developments and all potential threats to the production of the highest quality plants.

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Innovative

Since the establishment of the business in 2002, we have relentlessly focused on being at the forefront of the innovation curve. As a company we have and continue to always embrace new technologies, and through work with internationally renowned equipment, input, and technical partners, we are able to continuously improve plant quality and consistency.

 
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People, Planet & Profits

As a critical supplier to the horticulture sector, Ontario Plants has an essential role to play improving sustainability across the value chain and minimizing environmental impact. This cannot happen without creating a safe work environment and long-term career opportunities for the entire Ontario Plants team.

 

Leadership Team

 

Mathieu van de Sande
President & CEO

Mathieu brings 20 years of leadership experience in Controlled Environment Agriculture, in North America and the Netherlands, to his new role of CEO. He joins from Dutch-based PlantLab, a leading indoor farmer, where as Head of Business Development he helped to scale the company through a series of partnerships and joint ventures. Previously, he served as sales or account manager for several US and Dutch based horticulture businesses.

 
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Tim Vanderkooy
VP of Sales

Tim Vanderkooy is one of the three founding partners of Ontario Plants. In his present role of VP – Sales & Customer Experience, Tim is Ontario Plants’ primary client relationship holder and is responsible for account management, client satisfaction, and OPPL’s shipping department. Tim has an agricultural education from the University of Guelph and has been full-time involved in vegetable propagation for more than 20 yrs. Through his tenure at Ontario Plants Tim has previously held the roles of Head Grower and also Operations Manager. This extensive exposure to all aspects of vegetable propagation has given Tim a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the Ontario Plants’ operations.

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Robert Poultney
Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

Robert Poultney has been with the company since 2019, helping to lead the organization through its growth. Rob has a deep-rooted understanding of the business through his previous role as CFO and was hired to succeed the former CEO. He keeps the organization focused on the same mission and values upon which it was founded, to consistently produce the highest quality young plants for greenhouse operations and to do so from within a positive corporate culture where all team members are treated with respect and dignity. Rob has over 25 years of experience as an operations financial executive and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA, CPA). He has worked primarily in agricultural businesses throughout his career in both Ontario and Canada’s western provinces.

 
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Andrew Heinen
Head Grower

As the Head Grower in charge of cultivation and facilities at Ontario Plants, Andrew leads an extensive team and has been providing improvements in plant quality, productivity and growing innovation for the company since 2012. Andrew’s experience spans over 27 years working in all departments but particularly in plant propagation. He is a graduate from Niagara College and expanded his education at the University of Guelph. Andrew played an active role on the Niagara College Program Advisory Committee assisting with curriculum development to mold future growers for the industry. With the combination of his knowledge and experience Andrew has culminated a growing career worthy of recognition and was awarded the Canadian ‘Top 10 Under 40 Growers Award’ in 2018.

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Pieter van Dijk
Chief Operating Officer

Guiding the Growing and Operations departments, is Pieter van Dijk, Chief Operating Officer. With 27 years’ experience as the owner-operator of a large scale tomato production greenhouse in The Netherlands, Pieter innately understands Ontario Plants’ clients. After his lengthy time in tomato production, Pieter became the Head Grower at the largest vegetable plant propagation company in The Netherlands. Joining Ontario Plants in early 2020, Pieter brings with him a lifetime of greenhouse operations experience and an international network of subject matter experts ready to support Ontario Plants’ continued growth.

 
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Theun Peters
Director of Operations

Theun Peters holds the role of Operations Manager at Ontario Plants. Recruited from The Netherlands in 2013 for his greenhouse operational experience with emphasis on vegetable propagation which spans more than 25 years, Theun manages production, warehousing, and labour efficiency operations at Ontario Plants. He leads a sizable workforce with a never ending focus on performance and plant quality objectives. Theun is a graduate of Hogeschool HAS Den Bosch in the Netherlands with a Bachelor of Horticulture.