Source: Canola Council of Canada
As our nation responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canola Council is consulting with the canola value chain, monitoring developments and coordinating with partner organizations around government engagement on agriculture issues relating to COVID-19 mitigation. We are focused on ensuring that farmers have access to inputs and resources to get the 2020 crop in the ground, and that all links in our value chain can continue to produce and deliver the high quality canola products that our domestic and international food and feed customers rely upon.
The Council is also in close touch with Cereals Canada, Pulse Canada and other national commodity groups to help coordinate advice to federal and provincial officials and to provide information to the full grains and oilseeds value chain.
An important part of this effort is consultation around the government’s listing of essential services and businesses relating to agriculture and food production and supporting supply chain infrastructure.
The federal government is preparing guidance on ‘critical infrastructure’ and will be publishing the list very soon. Federal officials are striving to ensure alignment with similar guidance in the United States, considering the significant trade that occurs across the Canadian – U.S. border. Officials are also working to align with provincial essential services lists that have been published (below).
The latest lists of essential services are available here:
- Government of BC: List of COVID-19 essential services
- Government of SK: Allowable business services news release and listing [PDF]
- Government of Ontario: List of essential workplaces
- Government of Quebec: List of essential services
- Government of PEI: List of essential services
For more information, read the letter submitted to Ministers of Agriculture in Western Canada on March 24 on behalf of the CCC, Pulse Canada, Western Grain Elevator Association and Cereals Canada.
The following online resources are also available for industry:
- CFIA’s COVID-19: Information for Industry section, which notes CFIA will continue to deliver critical services
- Canadian Grain Commission: Operational changes and updates due to COVID-19
- Government of Canada: Main webpage for COVID-19
- Government of Canada: Resources for Canadian businesses
We will continue to keep these lists of resources updated on this webpage as more information becomes available.
In response to the COVID-19 situation, all CCC staff are currently working remotely. If you have any questions or issues of concern relating to COVID-19 impacts on the canola industry, please contact us at admin@canolacouncil.org.
