Industry groups have submitted ideas over recent months
Changes to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, permanent increases in the Advance Payments Program, and investments into domestic processing are among the requests industry groups are making ahead of the federal budget.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is scheduled to release the first budget of Prime Minister Carney’s government on Nov. 4.
Here’s a look at what some national industry groups are asking to be included in the federal budget.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture submitted its ideas on Aug. 28, the last day of pre-budget consultations.
The document has nine recommendations, including:
- Permanently increasing the interest free portion of the Advance Payments Program to $350,000,
- Maintaining the Temporary Foreign Worker Program,
- A commitment to modernize the Canada Grain Act, and,
- Mandating Agricultural Impact Assessments on federal infrastructure projects.
The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada also unveiled its budget requests in August.
The group put five overall recommendations and multiple specific ideas forward to the federal government.
These include preserving the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, expanding AgriInsurance to include greenhouse crops, and investing in domestic processing.
“Strategic investments in processing facilities that convert perishable produce into shelf-stable products would provide alternative markets, reduce food waste and support rural economies,” the group wrote.
The National Cattle Feeders’ Association released its federal budget ideas in August too.
The group put out five recommendations, including one asking for improvements to government approval systems, allowing Canadian producers to access tools and technologies sooner.
“This will require the government to transform and modernize the mandates of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency in order to be partners – rather than obstacles,” the cattle organization said.
The Canadian Canola Growers Association’s list of pre-budget requests includes seven recommendations.
Its first recommendation is for the government to get China’s tariffs on Canadian canola removed.
“A significant focus on normalizing trading relationships with major export markets should be prioritized as well as efforts to ensure that Canada’s current suite of Free Trade Agreements are fully maximized and leveraged,” the group said in its document.
Other ideas relate to investments in research and innovation of agronomic practices, crop protection, and plant breeding.
And to expedite access to reliable high-speed internet and mobile coverage to rural and remote communities.
The Canada Grains Council (CGC) published its requests on Sept. 4.
The organization has five ideas for the federal budget, with four of them related to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).
One idea the council has for the PMRA is to change the agency’s mandate “to ensure they consider food security and economic impacts, including the cost of food in all their regulatory decisions without compromising on health and safety.”
Its other request is related to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The CGC wants the CFIA’s development and full adoption of Electronic Phytosanitary Certificate exchange expedited for grain imports and exports.