Ontario's premier wants food container size deregulation added to premiers' meeting agenda

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

The federal government’s ongoing plans to deregulate food container sizes in Canada is putting a chill on Ontario’s business environment, says Premier and Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne.

Wynne wants the issue added to the agenda when the country’s premiers meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday.

In a statement released Wednesday, Wynne says the federal government’s plan “is threatening the existence of companies and potential international investors.” She notes that industry, including the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors and Food Processors of Canada, has warned “moving in this direction will have dire consequences for the ongoing competitiveness of the food processing and packaging sectors in Canada, including job losses and business closures.”

Working with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and leading municipal leaders, Wynne says she has brought this matter to the direct attention of federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in March and again at the agriculture ministers’ meeting in July.

Wynne’s agriculture ministry spokesman, Mark Cripps, says Ontario first raised this matter with the federal government in December 2012.

“We see this (container size deregulation) as a job killer,” Cripps says. A number of farmers, companies and municipal leaders particularly in southwestern Ontario have expressed concerns and “we just don’t want this issue to be forgotten.” That’s also why Wynne issued the statement.

Ritz says in an email issued by his press secretary the federal government is continuing to consult and work with the food processing industry to ensure its long-term economic success. “As we have said all along, we will ensure that any changes made are in the best interest of the Canadian food processing sector.”

Wynne says Ontario is home to one of North America’s largest food processing sectors with 3,000 businesses that employ 95,000 people. Food processing in Ontario is a vital industry. “We will continue to work with our agri-food industry to help it grow and seize new market opportunities at home and globally.” BF