Since 2015, over $1 trillion in investment has fled Canada, according to RBC, while the Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports that agriculture has seen more businesses exit than enter for the past decade, largely due to the heavy regulatory burden and red tape at CFIA.
The agriculture committee recently issued a strong report calling for urgent CFIA reform. Your government's response was widely criticized as weak and inadequate. CropLife Canada stated that it fell well short of matching the level of urgency and ambition in the committee's road map for growth and competitiveness, with us ranking 32nd out of 38 OECD countries in terms of regulatory burden, and 36th in terms of licensing and permits. Your department's response listed only measures that were already completed and under way.
With over 300 outstanding regulatory irritants identified by the agriculture and food sector, what exactly will be eliminated?