“We commend the government for taking leadership to ensure a future for one of the country’s most important sectors, and for having the vision to engage food industry sector representatives in developing the plan,” Derek Nighbor, senior vice-president of Public and Regulatory Affairs for FCPC, said of the Growing the Canadian Food Processing Sector – An Industry/Food Processing Action Plan. “Most Canadians would be surprised to know that the food industry is now the largest employer in manufacturing in the country. That being said, we could be bigger and better. It is our hope that the launch of today’s Action Plan will put the challenges facing our sector on the front burner of public policy priorities in Ottawa.”
The action plan will sync Canada’s system with other leading developed nations, giving access to healthy products not currently available in this country due to food and drug regulations. The change would also lead to new growth opportunities domestically and abroad for manufacturers, the agriculture industry, retail and other sectors that support manufacturing.
The changes earmarked in the action plan are expected to be implemented during the next 12 months.
