On November 15, 2022, Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) and the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) went to Parliament Hill to meet with parliamentarians and senior staff to advocate on behalf of Canada’s 43,000 canola farmers and the entire canola value chain. We concluded a full day of meetings with a joint reception.

Canola on the Hill

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CCGA’s Lobby Day highlights

Demand for canola has never been higher. Domestic and global markets see Canadian canola as a heart-healthy cooking oil, high-quality feed products and a low-carbon biofuel feedstock. For Canadian canola farmers to meet this growing demand, they need tools for sustainable growth.

CCGA, joined by the provincial canola commissions, participated in over 25 Parliamentary meetings to highlight three important tools for sustainable growth: timely and reliable rail transportation, access to crop protection products and fertilizer, and access to working capital. When farmers have the tools they need to succeed, they can invest in their operations to be more efficient, competitive and sustainable.

1. Transportation

With over 90 per cent of Canadian canola exported to international markets, it is vital that canola farmers have access to timely and reliable rail transportation. In October 2022, the final report of the federal government’s National Supply Chain Task Force was released, which highlighted several important recommendations to help solve systemic railway performance issues, including enhancing railway competition across Canada through expanded inter-switching and increasing transparency of supply chain data and labour disputes with industry.

Our ask: Increase transparency and confidence in Canada’s railways and take immediate action on the National Supply Chain Task Force report.

“CCGA’s lobby day on the Hill was a great opportunity for farmers to engage directly with decision-makers on policies that have an impact on farm. Sustainable growth on farm and for our economy can only be done through constructive collaboration with government and farmers.”
—Dave Carey, CCGA’s vice president, government & industry relations.

2. Access to crop protection products and fertilizer

Farmers need access to crop protection products and fertilizer to grow healthy, sustainable and abundant crops. As stewards of the land, canola farmers take pride in their best management practices and adoption of the latest technologies.

Our asks: Support Canada’s innovative and sustainable farmers by focusing on increasing productivity, incentivizing best practices, and measuring emissions on an intensity and efficiency basis. Champion science-based decision making and restore confidence in Canada’s regulatory system.

3. Working capital

Access to working capital is a key tool for Canadian canola farmers to prosper and drive Canada’s sustainable growth. Farmers require working capital to invest in their operations and remain competitive in the global market. Exempting on-farm use of natural gas and propane from carbon pricing (Bill C-234) and allowing farmers the choice of who can diagnose and repair their farm equipment (C-244) are important measures to help farmers keep working capital within their operations, so they can invest in the long-term sustainability of their farms.

Our Ask: Support Canadian farmers and vote in favour of Bills C-234 and C-244.

What’s next?
CCGA will continue to advocate for these issues and ensure canola farmers’ voices are heard in our nation’s capital.

CCGA meetings of note:

  • Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • Minister Responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
  • Leader of the Official Opposition in the Senate
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
  • Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Security

CCC meetings of note:

  • Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  • Deputy Minister of International Trade
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
  • Chair of the House of Commons Special Committee on
  • Canada-China Relations
  • Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
CCGA grower directors met with Marie-Claude Bibeau,
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (centre).
CCC directors meet with MP Michael Chong. From left to right: Ryan Law, Bunge; Tessa Ritter, Viterra; Hon. Michael Chong, Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs; Justin Nanninga, Alberta Canola; Jeff Pleskach, Cargill.

CCC’s Lobby Day highlights

As we continue to work towards the industry’s production targets as outlined in Keep It Coming 2025 and to meet global demand for Canadian canola, the CCC board of directors engaged with parliamentarians, political staff and senior civil servants to advance the value chain’s public policy priorities. These priorities included fertilizer and sustainability, international trade and market access, and a competitive regulatory environment.

This year’s lobby day was the first time since 2019 that the CCC board of directors was able to engage in-person with decision-makers in Ottawa. It provided the industry an important opportunity to forge new relationships, build on existing ones and position the industry for success going into 2023.

1. Fertilizer and sustainability

Canola is a climate solutions provider and is playing a key role in reducing emissions. As emissions reduction and carbon intensity increasingly become a competitiveness issue within the global marketplace, we must have access to needed support, tools and technologies to ensure a level playing field with our competitors.

Our Ask: Commit to maintaining the fertilizer emissions reduction target as voluntary and focus on emissions intensity as we look to increase production and meet global demand.

“Many of our issues and opportunities today are inter-connected and touch multiple parts of the value chain. Whether we’re talking economics, the environment, innovation or competitiveness, having those different value chain perspectives on these topics reflected in our engagement with government is critical to our collaboration and developing good policies and practices that will benefit the industry and the broader sector.”
—Chris Davison, CCC vice president, stakeholder & industry relations

2. International trade and market access

With 90 per cent of Canadian canola destined for export markets, international trade is the lifeblood of the industry. With new canola crushing capacity coming online in the next several years, finding high value markets for more canola-based products, such as meal used in animal diets, will be important for our diversification efforts. Open and predictable trade is essential as we navigate an increasingly complex and competitive global marketplace.

Our asks: Support the establishment of a well-resourced

Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office, advance ambitious Free Trade Agreements, and maintain a balanced approach to trade with China, recognizing its importance as a key export market for Canadian canola.

3. Foster a competitive and innovative regulatory environment

As Canada looks to advance dual objectives of economic growth and emissions reduction, a competitive and innovative regulatory environment is necessary to drive investment and innovation. This must include an unwavering commitment to science- and evidence-based decision-making.

Our Asks: That the government lift the pause on maximum residue limit (MRL) increases, which were put in place in August 2021; do not reopen the Pest Control Products Act and use non-legislative mechanisms to address transparency interests; and establish a clear regulatory pathway for plant breeding innovation in Canada.

What’s Next?
The CCC will continue to work with parliamentarians, political staff and senior civil servants in Ottawa to advance the public policy priorities of the Canadian canola industry.

From left to right: Jim Everson, president of the Canola Council of Canada, Terry Duguid, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Mike Ammeter, chair of Canadian Canola Growers Association. Terry Duguid gave opening remarks at CCGA and CCC’s joint reception, titled “Growing a Sustainable Future.”