December 9, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Government of Canada
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Joyce Murray, and the Minister of Northern Affairs, Daniel Vandal today issued the following statement in response to the Auditor General’s report on Protecting Canada’s Food System:
“We welcome the Auditor General’s report on Protecting Canada’s Food System. We recognize the importance of the findings and accept the recommendations.
Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has worked tirelessly to safeguard the health and well-being of Canadians. At a time when we faced disruptions to food processing and production, and unemployment and wage losses led to increased risks of food insecurity, we took quick and decisive actions to protect Canada’s food supply.
The Auditor General’s report highlights the collaboration that is required to protect and strengthen Canada’s food supply. As the report notes, we drew on a strong foundation of existing programs and mechanisms to create new emergency food programs quickly, and we engaged broadly with stakeholders across the food sector.
To make sure Canadians had stable access to food, we rolled out programs to address issues across the food supply chain, from processing to waste management. We put measures in place to keep workers safe, provided funding to get food on the tables of people facing food insecurity, prevented good food from going to waste, and increased funding to make food and other essential items more accessible and affordable for residents of isolated northern communities. The government further supported locally-led, innovative projects to ensure individuals and families had access to healthy and affordable food in their communities.
Food systems are essential for the health and well-being of Canadians and the strength of our economy. We are committed to working across all levels of government and with stakeholders to better plan and prepare for future crises affecting the food system.
The Government of Canada is committed to fairness, accountability, and performance measurement in program design and implementation. We also recognize the importance of collecting and reporting on data on Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and sustainable development objectives in government initiatives, to ensure that we respond to the needs of diverse groups of Canadians, and take into account the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
As we move ahead in our efforts to strengthen the food supply chain, we will grow from the valuable lessons that we have learned during the pandemic. We will continue to work collaboratively so that all people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food, and so that Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment, and supports our economy.”

December 9, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, launched the AgriCommunication Initiative, which will contribute to better connecting Canadians with Canada’s farmers, and the vital role they play in our food system.
The AgriCommunication Initiative supports progress towards achieving the vision established in the Food Policy for Canada, that all people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food. Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment and supports our economy. The Food Policy supports work on food fraud, food labelling, and food loss and waste, among other initiatives.
The AgriCommunication Initiative has two streams. The first aims to help Canadians better understand how their food is produced. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will provide up to $8 million over three years to support projects that promote consumer awareness of the strengths of Canada’s agriculture sector. Projects will also help enhance Canadians’ trust in sustainability, animal care, and efforts to reduce food waste.
Eligible recipients include not-for-profit associations and Indigenous groups. The program will also support agricultural fairs and exhibitions which have broad agriculture awareness mandates.
Also part of the first stream, AAFC will also launch communications and awareness activities in Spring 2022 to highlight the sector’s efforts to adopt sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and technologies. Meanwhile, work is underway to refresh the Canada Brand platform to ensure that food businesses and partners have access to new graphics and tools optimized for today’s digital platforms, enabling them to reach more consumers and enhance virtual connections with international buyers.
This initiative was informed by public opinion research, focus groups, and consultations, including engagement with the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, as well as industry and provincial organizations.
The second stream of the AgriCommunication Initiative will focus on increasing the sector’s understanding of consumer preferences and expectations. More details on these efforts will be available in the coming months. 

December 9, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
As part of the Government of Canada’s efforts to help build stronger links between Canadians and the farmers that work hard to grow our food, applications are now being accepted for a new program under the AgriCommunication Initiative.
Program Priorities
The program will support activities that increase appreciation and pride in the contributions of farmers and food businesses. The program will support projects that promote consumer awareness of the strengths of Canada’s agriculture sector. Projects will also help enhance Canadians’ trust in sustainability, animal care, and efforts to reduce food waste.
The program will prioritize projects that focus on:

Consumer awareness – increase Canadian consumers’ appreciation of industry’s efforts in farming practices

seminars designed to inform Canadian consumers of specific attributes of Canadian agriculture and agri-food,
information dissemination through communication strategies (for example, social media, digital platforms, influencers, web sites, videos),
develop consumer knowledge of agricultural practices through events, conferences, workshops, web sites, and community outreach to disseminate farm industry best practices and agricultural awareness.

Sector awareness – within the agricultural industry

develop educational material, technical training, tools and resources to strengthen information dissemination and adopt best practices to increase awareness of consumer concerns, preferences and wishes,
facilitate awareness and knowledge transfer of new and ongoing initiatives within the farming community through newsletters, digital tools, publications, brochures,
promote success stories and recognize leaders in industry.

Environmental sustainability – increase awareness of agricultural best practices, sustainability initiatives, technological advancements

increase consumer understanding of, and awareness of sustainability practices,
increase sector knowledge of best practices related to environmental sustainability,
development of digital communication tools to leverage industry strategies and data to increase public understanding, lead consumer knowledge and behaviour, and highlight agricultural-based solutions to fight climate change.

Funding of up to $8 million is available to support projects with eligible applicants.
Funding for projects will be through a cost-share ratio, with AAFC covering 70% and the recipients covering 30%. A more favourable cost-share may be applied for underrepresented groups within the agricultural sector, with AAFC covering 85% and the recipients covering 15%.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit:

Associations
Indigenous groups

The program may also support activities undertaken by domestic agricultural fairs and exhibitions, which have broad agriculture awareness activities in helping strengthen public trust about the origin of the food they eat and how it is produced.
Regional or local organizations may be considered if they can demonstrate the ability to deliver a project that is sector-wide and national in scope. Support from national organizations may be required where relevant. Regional projects may also be considered if a national organization does not exist.
The following groups are not eligible to receive funding under the program:

academic institutions
commodity organizations
for-profit organizations
individuals

Application Process
An application form is available through AAFC’s web site. Completed forms can be submitted for funding consideration online. Additional documentation is also available on the web site to assist with the application process.
Receipt of applications will be acknowledged within one business day and applicants will be contacted if the package is incomplete.
Applications will be accepted starting on December 9, 2021 and on an ongoing basis until September 30, 2023 or until otherwise announced by the program, or until funding has been fully committed. The program ends March 31, 2024.
Applicants who can complete activities before March 31, 2022 are encouraged to contact the program immediately to discuss their application.
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Minister Bibeau announces AgriCommunication Initiative to connect farmers and Canadians

December 9, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Government of Canada
Ministers will be available to respond to the Auditor General’s new audit reports on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following Ministers will address the reports and answer questions from the media:

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health
MP Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development

Date
December 9, 2021
Time
3:45 p.m. (EST)
Location
Sir John A. MacDonald Building, Room 200144 Wellington StOttawa, Ontario
To join the media availability by teleconference
Toll free: 1-866-206-0153Local: 613-954-9003Conference ID: 9735952#
Note: To help ensure optimal sound quality, journalists are encouraged to use a microphone (headphones/headset) or, when possible, a landline, and to avoid using speaker mode for questions.

December 8, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Honourable Marie‑Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, will launch an initiative that will contribute to better connecting Canadians with Canada’s farmers. The Minister will be joined by members of the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council, including Co-Chair Jerry Bos.
Time:
December 9, 2021 10:00 (EST)
Media access by video conference: https://canada.webex.com/canada/j.php?MTID=m741d653385363801cd5d2a694b11b5d4
Meeting number: 2334 443 1879
Password: 7Tqde4maF5@
When accessing the video conference, please provide your full name or media affiliation.
The event will be recorded. Participants may decline to have their likeness recorded by turning their camera off. This will not impact the audio or visual transmission of the event.
Access with telephone linePlease contact the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Media Relations team to obtain instructions.

December 8, 2021 – Regina, Saskatchewan – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan invested more than $218,000 in funding for 17 research projects through the Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) Program.
The ADOPT Program provides funding to assist producer groups to evaluate and demonstrate new agricultural practices and technologies at the local level. The results of successful trials can then be adopted by agricultural operations in the region.
Projects were initiated this fall and will be conducted throughout the winter months and into the spring.

December 8, 2021 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Yesterday, during the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) directors meeting in Ottawa, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced nearly $200,000 in support of their Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program and remote auditing.
The VBP+ program is a voluntary certification program administered by the CCA to certify beef cattle operations meet high standards for food safety, animal care and environmental stewardship.
The funding will go towards a web portal and an app for remote audits, which will make it easier for cattle producers to access the VBP+ program. The funding announced yesterday brings the total Government of Canada investment into VBP+ and its environmental component, the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, to $1.9 million.
With over 1.6 million cattle already under the management of certified VBP+ operations in Canada, this announcement will help more cattle producers meet market demands for sustainably raised beef. Canada’s livestock producers and processors have built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality, safe and delicious beef. As shoppers in Canada and around the world increasingly look in grocery store aisles for sustainable and humane food options that ensure animal well-being, it is more important than ever to raise awareness of the beef industry’s commitment to animal care, biosecurity and environmental stewardship practices.

December 8, 2021 – Ottawa-Gatineau – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Today, the CRTC announced that it has reached an agreement with Gap Inc. for allegedly violating Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL). In addition to implementing corrective measures, it has agreed to make a payment of $200,000. Gap is a US-based global apparel retailer which operates several clothing divisions, including Banana Republic and Old Navy.
CRTC staff issued a warning letter to Gap in December 2018 to inform the company that it had received complaints from Canadians regarding Gap’s electronic messaging practices. In June 2021, in light of continuing submissions from Canadians, the CRTC’s Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer (CCEO) opened a formal investigation into compliance with CASL.
The CCEO had reason to believe that, between January 2018 and August 2021, Gap sent commercial electronic messages to Canadians without the necessary consent. Gap’s messages also allegedly did not consistently include either an unsubscribe mechanism or an unsubscribe mechanism which could easily be performed – all of which are required under CASL. Upon being made aware of the CCEO’s concerns, Gap proactively made changes to its marketing practices and engaged with CRTC staff to reach a settlement.
Canadians are encouraged to report spam and suspicious practices to the Spam Reporting Centre.