Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a USD62.5m financial package to support seafood and fish processors who may be struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Money from the Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund will go towards helping fish and seafood companies modify their plants to meet COVID-19 health regulations, support social distancing measures as well as buy personal protective equipment for processors.
“As we fight COVID-19, people who work in fish and seafood processing plants across the country are playing a crucial role when it comes to getting food to our tables”, Trudeau said. “This funding will help ensure that they can safely continue their important work.” The PM added money could also be used to purchase new equipment like freezers or storage space.
Fish and seafood are among the country’s top food exports and the industry employs roughly 72.000 people.
Bernadette Jordan, who serves as minister of fisheries, oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, said the federal government had been notified of concerns regarding moving products, from both storage capacity and a market perspective. “Without the ability to move goods efficiently and effectively, processors can’t buy more from our harvesters and in turn, they can’t supply Canadians with seafood,” she said. “For the harvesters to continue to fish, they have to be able to sell their product. That’s one of the reasons why the processors are the people that are first out the door.”