Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government in monitoring the security of Canada’s food supply chain amid concerns the country is facing a meat shortage.
“We’re very much on this issue,” Trudeau said Wednesday (April 29) during his daily media briefing outside his home in Ottawa.
He said Agriculture Canada is working with industry and the provinces to ensure the nation’s food supply chain remains stable.
Concerns are growing amid closures of multiple meat-processing plants across Canada, including two poultry plants in Metro Vancouver, as COVID-19 outbreaks hit workers.
McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD) announced Tuesday it would be sourcing imported beef for its burgers due to its own unease over Canada’s domestic supply.
Trudeau, who did not take follow-up questions during an abbreviated media briefing, would not commit to mandating meat-processing plants stay open in the country.
He said the country would have to find the right balance between worker safety and food security.
The prime minister addressed media shortly before departing for a virtual sitting of the House of Commons, which votes later in the day on a $9-billion relief package.
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit offers $1,250 a month to students from May to August.
The monthly benefit goes up to $1,750 a month for students with disabilities or for those with a dependent.
Accessible through the Canada Revenue Agency, it will apply to current students as well as those who graduated stretching back to December 2019.
Ottawa is also seeking to launch the Canada Student Service Grant for those who volunteer for efforts to fight COVID-19.
Those summer volunteers will be eligible for $1,000-5,000, depending on how many hours they work.
Graduate students will be able to tap into $291 million in extended scholarships, fellowships and grants.
Meanwhile, student grants committed for the year will be doubled by the government, with $75 million in support going to Indigenous students.
Many students do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which requires applicants to have earned $5,000 in the past 12 months.
The $24-billion CERB program offers $2,000 a month to workers for up to 16 weeks.
The federal government also hopes to create 76,000 jobs for young people in addition to the Canada Summer Jobs program, adding specific support would be introduced for Indigenous students as well.
