The Port of Churchill in 2015. (CNS Canada photo by Jade Markus)

Proposed deal ‘fallen apart’ for Hudson Bay Railway

An acquisition deal-in-principle for northern Manitoba’s Hudson Bay Railway appears to have collapsed and the line’s current owners warn the railway may now be down for yet another shipping season. Hudson Bay Railway (HBR), a subsidiary of Colorado-based shortline operator OnmiTrax, announced Tuesday “it now appears that this transaction has fallen apart.” The proposed sale […] Read more





Primo’s “Rustic Beef Barley” soup. (PrimoHeartySoups.ca)

Soup maker Baxters sells Canadian arm

The Canadian business of Scottish soup and condiment maker Baxters Food Group is back in Canadian hands, including private, public and labour-sponsored Quebec investors. Provincial venture capital firm Investissement Quebec and labour-sponsored Fonds de solidarite FTQ and Fondaction announced Tuesday they would each put up $8 million, plus an unspecified amount from investors led by […] Read more

(Pintys.com)

Olymel to pick up Ontario chicken processor Pinty’s

The meat packing arm of agrifood co-operative La Coop federee is set to boost its stakes in the Ontario packaged chicken and appetizer markets with a deal for Pinty’s Delicious Foods. Olymel announced Thursday it will buy Burlington, Ont.-based Pinty’s, including its three southern Ontario chicken slaughter and processing operations at Port Colborne, Paris and […] Read more



(Video screengrab from Saputo.com)

Saputo to build new Vancouver-area processing plant

Canadian dairy giant Saputo plans on further “maximizing its manufacturing footprint” in Canada in the next few years, starting with a new $240 million Vancouver-area processing plant at Port Coquitlam. The “state-of-the-art” plant is expected to be built within the next three years and commissioned in fiscal 2021, the company said in its fiscal 2018 […] Read more


(Video screengrab from Mapaq.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec ag minister won’t run again

With just under four months before the province’s next election, Quebec’s current minister of agriculture, food and fisheries won’t be in the running. Laurent Lessard ended weeks of speculation Friday when he announced he won’t seek a sixth term as the MNA for Lotbiniere-Frontenac. In a statement on Facebook, Lessard, 55, thanked his constituents for […] Read more

(TobyBarrett.com)

Ontario ag minister downed in Tories’ election win

The Ontario Liberals’ minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs is among the election-night casualties as the province’s Progressive Conservatives get set to form a majority government. As of midnight CT Friday, Doug Ford’s Tories were elected or leading in 76 of 124 ridings, followed by Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats in 40 and Kathleen Wynne’s […] Read more