$500 Million In Federal Funds For Fishery

The federal government has earmarked half a billion dollars to help the fishing industry.

Prime Minister Trudeau announced the $267 million Fish Harvester Benefit and the $202 million Fish Harvester Grant on Wednesday.

Eligible workers could receive up to $10,000 in benefits from either program.

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan says the funding will provide income support while addressing overhead costs specific to the industry.

“We want to make sure that we’re able to help support them with things like their license fees, with their bait costs, with their insurance costs. Those are all things that are fixed costs that they’re going to have to pay no matter if they go out or not.”

The Prime Minister also announced changes would be made to the Employment Insurance system to allow self employed harvesters and sharepersons to claim benefits based on previous seasons.

Minister Jordan says the $62.5 million Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund established in April addressed the need for processor to get protective measures such as personal protective equipment and plexi-glass in place on the front lines.

She says it became apparent that benefits announced for other workers to deal with the downturn in the job market as a result of COVID-19 such as the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or access to small business loans from the Business Development Bank of Canada wouldn’t help fish harvesters because of the unique nature of the industry.

Jordan says these newly announced programs are the result of conversations her department has had with their provincial counterparts, industry organizations and individuals to ensure the fishing industry are also taken care of.

“We are looking out for the harvesters, making sure that they are able to access the funding that they need in order to get them through this hump.”

But the fisheries minister is also looking further down the road.

“It’s not just the immediate COVID-19 issue. It’s what’s the long-term look like and how do we address the concerns going forward in the industry? So I think it’s short-term measures, mid-term measures and then we have to look at the long-term and how we’re going to continue to make sure we have a vibrant fishing sector.”

Jordan says the department will continue to monitor how the programs are working to ensure the needs of the industry are supported.

The newly announced programs are not yet available, but the fisheries minister wants to assure fish harvesters that government is working to roll them out as quickly as possible.

“I think what’s really important is that the fishers know that it’s there, it’s coming and that they’ve got some piece of mind knowing that they’re going to have some help.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson