Feds Announce More Funding For Fisheries
Federal help is starting to roll out for seafood harvesters and processors.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced two programs supporting the industry Wednesday.
The Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund will provide $62.5 million to small and medium-sized enterprises to help get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lions-share of that funding, $38.1 million will go to the Atlantic provinces and be administered by Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
It will support businesses to increase their storage capacity for frozen and live seafood and allow plants to invest in personal protective equipment as well as make operational changes necessary to protect their workers.
The fund is retroactive to March 15.
The Prime Minister also announced the Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund has been revamped to focus on raising awareness of seafood products within Canada.
When the program was first launched in 2018 its main focus was expanding the export markets.
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan says with export markets drying up because of COVID-19, the industry needs to look to its own backyard.
“That’s where the money is, is in the live lobster market. So, making sure that we were able to step up and provide funding that’s going to help deal with the challenges faced without the export market.”
The almost $43 million program is being cost shared 70%-30% between the federal and provincial governments, respectively.
Not-for-profit organizations such as industry associations and Indigenous groups focused on marketing the fish and seafood sector can apply.
The money can be used to conduct research, develop branding and support promoting the sector both domestically and internationally.
Minister Jordan says workers have not been left out as government has already announced support for harvesters and made changes to the Employment Insurance system to get them through this tough time.
“Is it going to make them whole? No, it’s not going to replace the income that they made last year in the fishing sector. But it is going to make sure that they’ve got what they need in order to continue to have a livelihood.”
Jordan says the half a billion dollars invested by the Liberal government is the largest amount injected in the sector since the cod moratorium.
“And we’re going to continue to see what happens as we go forward, how long it takes for export markets to open again. When the markets are like this year, we know that it is challenging, but we want to make sure we’re there to support the industry throughout the whole COVID timeframe.”
Reported by Ed Halverson
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson