Mr. Speaker, farmers' markets are a really key tool for COVID-19 recovery. As small business owners and incubators, they state that they are domestic system and food security builders and local economy community builders, and that farmers' market coupon programs are a key support for new market development and a support for existing markets and their provincial associations.
There is a farmers' market coupon program in B.C., which is why these petitioners from my riding are calling for a federal matching program. They are stating that a national matching program would assist in meeting those demands, encourage provinces without a provincial program to create one, and support provinces that have a provincial program to expand to meet demand. They are calling for the federal government to match provinces that are already contributing to their farmers' market coupon programs.