Alberta is now the third Canadian province from which seed potato growers are eligible to export to Thailand. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Monday announced a new export agreement by which Thailand will accept imports of seed potatoes produced in Alberta. “Alberta has a very innovative and progressive seed potato industry and is looking […] Read more
Thailand to accept Alberta seed potatoes
Producers wait on the weather to cooperate to resume harvest
Alberta crop conditions as of October 18
Reading Time: 2 minutes Fields in the North West, North East and Peace Regions as well as some areas in the Central Region received some more snow over the past weekend. Consequently, harvesting operations were practically at a standstill, changing less than one per cent provincially from last week with about 73 per cent of the crops now in […] Read more
Canada’s Onex to buy U.S. grocery chain Save-A-Lot
Reuters — Food retailer and wholesaler Supervalu Inc. said it will sell its Save-A-Lot business to Canadian private equity firm Onex Corp. for US$1.37 billion rather than spinning off the discount grocery chain as previously planned, the companies said on Monday. Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based Supervalu had been looking to separate the more profitable division, which […] Read more
Belgian ‘Non’ clouds EU meeting to approve CETA
Luxembourg | Reuters — European Union trade ministers meet in Luxembourg on Tuesday aiming to approve a free trade agreement with Canada but facing regional opposition in Belgium that threatens to scupper the entire deal. All 28 EU governments now back the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which would be the bloc’s first trade […] Read more
CETA hits resistance in Belgian fortress Wallonia
Namur, Belgium | Reuters — The Belgian fortress city of Namur, besieged by European armies down the centuries, issued a declaration of war on the global economic order Friday, with a vote to reject a planned EU-Canada free trade agreement. The parliament of the region of Wallonia voted in its seat at Namur after a […] Read more
Spirits firm Corby closes deal for Ungava gin maker
Toronto spirits manufacturer Corby Spirit and Wine has closed on its deal for the spirits assets of cider maker Domaines Pinnacle, including the Quebec company’s flagship Ungava gin brand. Corby, whose brands include J.P. Wiser’s whisky, Lamb’s rum and Polar Ice vodka, announced in late August it would pay $12 million cash for the Pinnacle […] Read more
Ottawa to back new tractor plant in Quebec
A federal fund to help communities diversify from the asbestos business will help finance a major tractor manufacturer’s first facilities in Canada. Navdeep Bains, the minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), on Tuesday announced a “repayable contribution” of $350,000 for Mahindra Canada-Est to put up a 22,000-square foot industrial building at Adstock, […] Read more
Ontario to scale back renewable energy purchases
Toronto | Reuters –– Ontario will scale back its purchase of renewable power in a move expected to result in savings of up to $3.8 billion from a 2013 forecast, the provincial government said on Tuesday. It’s not clear consumers will benefit directly, though the province’s Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault told a news conference a […] Read more
Growmark buys up Ontario farm fuel firm UPI
U.S. farm co-operative Growmark is set to boost its space in the Ontario farm supply market with a deal for the half of fuel supplier UPI Energy it doesn’t already own. Growmark on Monday announced it would buy the remaining 50 per cent stake in Guelph-based UPI from Suncor Energy for an undisclosed sum. UPI […] Read more
EU, Canada seek to win over CETA doubters with declaration
Vienna/Brussels | Reuters — Canada’s trade minister and the European Union’s trade chief sought Wednesday to overcome the doubts of Austria and other EU members over a planned EU-Canada free trade deal, with a declaration spelling out the limits of the contentious pact. Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, speaking in Vienna, said the legally binding […] Read more