Updated Nov. 23 — Ontario’s government is considering new legislation to more clearly spell out who can provide what kinds of animal care in the province’s veterinary sector. The provincial ag ministry on Monday launched a round of public consultation on the Veterinarians Act, which governs licensing of veterinarians and accreditation of veterinary facilities in […] Read more
Ontario seeking new rules on scope of vet services
Changes also considered to veterinary sector oversight
Feds pledge agriculture office for Indo-Pacific export support
Ottawa aims to tighten ties with region
Updated Nov. 23 — Canada’s latest round of federal efforts to boost economic ties with the Indo-Pacific region will include its first dedicated agriculture and agri-food office in the region. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tour through the region last week included a pledge of $31.8 million over five years for a regional agriculture office, to […] Read more
Olymel to exit lard business, shut plant
Packer's St. Hyacinthe facility to permanently close
Pork and poultry packer Olymel is set to close the further processing plant it operates in its home town in Quebec as it exits the lard production business. The company, an arm of ag co-operative Sollio, announced Thursday it will close its St. Jacques Street plant at St. Hyacinthe, Que. effective Feb. 10, affecting 107 […] Read more
CUSMA compensation set for supply-managed sectors
Feds pledge over $1.7 billion in payments, programs
A final round of payments and programs for Canada’s supply-managed dairy and feather sectors — this time in compensation for the sequel deal to NAFTA — is now on deck for 2023 and beyond. Compensation to those sectors for domestic market concessions granted under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) was telegraphed in federal Finance Minister Chrystia […] Read more
New farm fuel carbon tax rule to return to Commons
Further carbon pricing exemptions clear ag committee, with sunset clause added
A bill that would exempt more farm fuels from Canada’s federal carbon pricing scheme has cleared the Commons’ ag committee and returned to the House of Commons to seek a third and final vote. C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by southwestern Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb, appeared before the Commons’ standing committee on agriculture […] Read more
Quebec Liberals’ new ag critic to also handle health file
Fortin to also handle regional development, forestry
A quick re-shuffling of shadow cabinet responsibilities will see the agriculture critic for Quebec’s provincial opposition Liberals now also handle the health file. The Liberals’ interim leader Marc Tanguay — who took over after the Nov. 7 resignation of Dominique Anglade following the Oct. 3 general election — announced Tuesday that Andre Fortin, the party’s […] Read more
Andersons buys grains broker Bridge Agri Partners
Lethbridge business will keep existing name
Lethbridge grain marketing and handling firm Bridge Agri Partners has been taken up by U.S. grain and ag input firm The Andersons. Bill Krueger, president of The Andersons’ trade and processing arm, said in a release Nov. 1 it had bought the Prairie company for an undisclosed amount, its goal being “to expand our pet […] Read more
Competition Bureau’s call for Manitoba elevator sale rejected
Bureau 'carefully reviewing' Competition Tribunal decision
A federal antitrust tribunal’s decision may soon make Canadian grain firm Parrish and Heimbecker the uncontested owner of the full set of Louis Dreyfus’ Prairie grain elevators. In a decision dated Oct. 31, the Competition Tribunal — the federal quasi-judicial body with the power of approval over any antitrust actions proposed by the federal Competition […] Read more
Cybersecurity ‘incident’ hits Maple Leaf systems
Grocery firm Empire also dealing with IT grief
Some information technology (IT) systems at Canadian pork and poultry packer Maple Leaf Foods have been downed in what the company described Monday as a “cybersecurity incident.” The company said in a release Monday that it “took immediate action and engaged cybersecurity and recovery experts” when it learned of the problem, and its in-house and […] Read more
Unions rip supply chain report’s language on strikes
Task force calls for 'new labour relations paradigm'
Recommendations from the federal government’s National Supply Chain Task Force to strengthen the country’s supply chains have drawn a cheer but also one significant jeer from unions in the transport sector. The task force’s final report, released Oct. 6, offered up 21 recommendations aimed at easing congestion in Canada’s ports, filling labour shortages and improving […] Read more
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