We will. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, Chair and committee members.
The Canadian Produce Marketing Association represents over 840 companies growing, distributing and selling fresh fruit and vegetables in Canada. Ongoing supply chain disruptions continue to have a significant impact on our industry and the Canadian economy.
As noted, with me today is my board chair, Guy Milette, who will provide first-hand information relative to our sector's challenges.
It's important to note that many of the supply chain issues we face today existed before the pandemic and have been dramatically amplified and have further complicated business over the past two years. As we move into what could be another wave in Canada and other jurisdictions around the world, we need to ensure we have learned from the past and apply best practices for the future.
Compounded issues mean our members are facing death by a thousand cuts. This includes port congestion, delays and exploding costs in container shipping, continuing labour shortages from farm to retail, growing costs of inputs and shortages and inconsistent product delivery. My chair will touch on these challenges in a few moments, but I will say that all of them are impacting the fresh produce supply chain that deals in just-in-time delivery of highly perishable food. For our sector, delays at ports or other points along the supply chain can mean not only lost sales but also product spoilage and food waste.
There is no doubt that these ongoing supply chain disruptions are complex and interconnected, and so too are the solutions, requiring action across multiple federal ministries and departments, as well as collaboration with provincial, territorial and municipal partners. To ensure an effective whole-of-government approach, there is a need for a supply chain commissioner, mandated and empowered to bring necessary parties together to find short- and long-term solutions.
In the short term, we must start with the creation of a mechanism to prioritize the movement of perishable and essential goods. In the medium-to-long term, the revitalization of our port infrastructure, strengthening government oversight over port service standards and the expansion of programs to streamline the movement of essential and perishable goods must all be considered.
In addition, efforts under way in the U.S. to reform shipping legislation and ensure competitiveness and transparency in the shipping industry offer an important model for Canada to follow.
At this time, I would like to hand over the screen to my chair, Mr. Milette, to provide his perspective on the situation.