Agriculture
Saskatchewan premier travelling to Europe to discuss food security, energy
Regina – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he will be travelling to Europe later this week to discuss food security and energy during a trade mission.
Moe says the trip was planned prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But he says the war has highlighted the need for Canada to backfill some exports to the European Union, such as potash, uranium and agri-food products.
Moe says he will be visiting the United Kingdom and Germany, where he will be joined by business leaders and organizations who he says will engage with the financial sector in London.
A spokesperson for the premier says his itinerary will be finalized in the days ahead.
The province recently established a trade office in London, but trade missions had been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moe says his hope is to engage the European Union on using more Saskatchewan commodities.
“Ultimately we have a great story to tell here in Saskatchewan and we’re going to be abroad telling it shortly.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2022.
Statistics Canada says fewer fresh fruits and vegetables were available to Canadians in 2022, due to factors such as ongoing supply chain issues, labour shortages and price increases. Assorted fruit is shown at a market in Montreal on Thursday, June 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Statistics Canada says fewer fresh fruits and vegetables were available to Canadians in 2022, due to factors such as ongoing supply chain issues, labour shortages and price increases.
StatCan says the amount of available fresh fruit declined by more than five per cent in 2022 from the previous year, to 72.9 kilograms per person.
Even though there was a 12.7 per cent increase in domestic fruit production, it was not enough to keep up with an increase in exports and a decrease in imports, the agency says in a report released today.
The availability of fresh vegetables — excluding potatoes — was 64.7 kilograms per person in 2022, a decrease of nearly six per cent from 2021.
Just like with fruits, Canada’s vegetable production increases in 2022 were not enough to keep up with a rise in exports and a drop in imports, StatCan says.
The agency says some Canadian food industry sectors experienced record production in 2022, but also exported more food internationally than the previous year.
It says the entire industry was affected by pandemic-related supply chain issues, such as shipping delays and shortages of labour and products.
StatCan also cites price increases as one of the factors. Extreme weather, the war in Ukraine and energy costs severely impacted global food prices last year.
Food inflation was stubbornly high in Canada in 2022, outpacing overall inflation. Grocery prices were up 9.8 per cent in 2022 compared with 2021, the fastest pace since 1981.
StatCan’s latest report says the amount of milk available to Canadians also decreased by nearly four per cent in 2022, compared to the previous year.
StatCan says that was mainly caused by a drop in production of one per cent milk and two per cent milk.
In contrast, red meat availability increased by 4.3 per cent in 2022, led by beef as cattle slaughter increased from the previous year. The amount of poultry available to Canadians increased by 1.5 per cent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2023.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser arrives to a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. Fraser says the government will expand a pilot project to attract more temporary foreign workers to accept jobs in Canada’s agricultural industry for another two years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Ottawa
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says the government will expand a pilot project to attract more temporary foreign workers to jobs in Canada’s agricultural industry for another two years.
The government launched the program three years ago to offer temporary workers in the agriculture and food sector a pathway to permanent residency in Canada.
It was due to end later this month but Fraser says it’s going to continue until 2025.
He says the pilot experienced some challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government wants more time to test it out.
The minister also says the family members of workers who make it into the program will be given open work permits so they can earn a living while they’re in Canada.
The agricultural sector is struggling with labour shortages, and the minister says if they’re not addressed it could hurt Canada’s food security.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2023.
My Official Apology to the New York Post
Canada saw decline in fresh fruit, vegetable availability in 2022: StatCan
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