Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news regarding food and beverage manufacturing, processing, packaging, labelling, safety and inspections. Every Monday, we break down the most important news in under five minutes.

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Start Date: 2025-04-27
End Date: 2025-05-03

Top Headlines

Main Stories

Food Services and Drinking Places Sales Down 0.6% in February

Statistics Canada reports that total sales in the food services and drinking places subsector declined by 0.6% in February 2025, reaching $8.2 billion. The data reflects recent headwinds facing the foodservice industry amid broader sectoral pressures.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

AgriStability Enrolment Deadline Extended in Response to Tariffs and Market Disruptions

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in partnership with Manitoba and other jurisdictions, has extended the 2025 AgriStability program enrolment deadline from April 30 to July 31, 2025. This extension is intended to provide producers additional time to enroll as they navigate ongoing market disruptions and tariffs affecting the agricultural sector. AgriStability is designed to help farmers manage income risk from significant margin declines. Minister Kostyshyn is encouraging producers to review available business risk management programs through Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation. The program operates under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases Latest Poultry and Egg Statistics for April 2025

Statistics Canada has published updated data for April 2025 on stocks of frozen eggs and poultry meats, as well as edible dried egg products. The release also includes figures for placements of hatchery chicks and turkey poults for March 2025, and egg production data for February 2025. These datasets provide reference points for supply chain and production planning across the Canadian poultry and egg sectors.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Wholesale Trade Early Indicator Shows 0.3% Decline in March

Advance estimates from Statistics Canada indicate wholesale sales, excluding petroleum and oilseed/grain, decreased 0.3% in March, with lower results in five of seven subsectors.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Milled Wheat and Wheat Flour Production Figures for Q1 2025 Released

Canadian millers processed 861,000 tonnes of wheat in Q1 2025, resulting in 668,000 tonnes of wheat flour.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Provincial Announcements

Alberta Launches Consultation on Water Act Updates with Implications for Agri-Food Sector

The Alberta government is seeking public feedback on proposed changes to the Water Act aimed at increasing water availability for farmers, food processors, and other users. The engagement period runs until June 30, with targeted sessions for water-using sectors planned for May.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www.alberta.ca

Nova Scotia Premier to Promote Seafood Sector During Trade Mission to Spain and the U.K.

Premier Tim Houston and Fisheries Minister Kent Smith will travel to Spain and the United Kingdom to strengthen trade relationships and promote Nova Scotia’s seafood industry at Seafood Expo Global and other events from May 5-10.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.novascotia.ca

Public Officials' Social Media

Senator Patrick Brazeau Raises Alcohol Warning Label Issue

Senator Patrick Brazeau referenced an article from The BMJ and questioned the potential applicability of alcohol warning labels in Canada.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

Senator Robert Black Meets with Canadian Federation of Independent Business

Senator Robert Black discussed agriculture sector issues and business supports with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, noting over 4,000 ag-sector members.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

Senator Robert Black Engages with BASF and Corteva on Ag and Food Production

Senator Robert Black, alongside Senator Lewis, met with representatives from BASF and Corteva to discuss current challenges in the agri-food production sector.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

Senator Robert Black Learns About Ag Innovation Farms

Senator Robert Black held discussions with EMILICanada about their Innovation Farms and plans to visit one during the summer.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

What We're Reading This Week

• Session Preview: 2025 Food Safety Summit: Preview of key topics and speakers for the upcoming 2025 Food Safety Summit.
• TikTok tricks; U.S. ban on artificial food dyes: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet: CBC examines social media trends and the U.S. move to ban certain artificial food dyes.