The Bank of Canada has announced it will hold firm at a 0.25 per cent interest rate for now; and, given the commentary around the announcement, likely for some time. According to J.P. Gervais, chief economist with Farm Credit Canada, it's not an unexpected outcome. "When you comb through the [Bank of Canada] statement, what... Read More
Category: Farm Management
The Alberta government says part of "prioritizing jobs for Albertans" includes making changes to the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program in the province. Alberta's government plans to limit the number and types of jobs available to new TFWs — making jobs "available for unemployed Albertans," according to a press release. As of November 1, additional... Read More
The federal government has announced further updates on how the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) will work, including the option for businesses to open a business account in order to qualify. Announced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic economic shutdown, CEBA is an interest-free $40,000 operating loan. If you repay 75 percent of the... Read More
The Manitoba government's pledge to begin eliminating its education tax on property in 2021 includes farmland, according to a spokesperson for Finance Minister Scott Fielding. The phased elimination of school taxes on property starting next year was mentioned, without any details, in the Progressive Conservatives' throne speech earlier this month. "Given the challenges we face...Manitobans... Read More
Farming is such a diverse industry with so many operation types that add value to the industry. Canadian Young Farmers' Forum (CYFF) was established in 1997, with the goal to assist young farmers with information while exchanging ideas that lead to progressive strategies, to ensure farming success in Canada. The organization hosts speakers and innovative... Read More
As a country, we've likely never been so focused on our collective health as we have been since March. Oddly, however, one of the side effects of the economic shutdown has been the closure of gyms and fitness facilities and the cancellation of most sports. How do we best take care of our physical health... Read More
The Manitoba and federal governments have hammered out the details of the province's cattle set-aside program funding delivered through AgriRecovery. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic economic shutdown and temporary processing plant closures, the federal government announced in early May that it would providing up to $50 million for livestock set-aside programs. Normally, a... Read More
Statistics Canada's recent September job market data is reassuring. Overall, employment in the country increased in September, creating 378,000 jobs, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This increase in September brought our total employment to 720,000, shy of the level we had before the pandemic. Obviously, children being back to school has helped bring... Read More
The federal government has stepped in to top up provincial funding for workplace health and safety measures on-farm in Ontario. Agriculture and Agri-Food minister Marie-Claude Bibeau previously announced $35 million for a federally-administered program, and this week, announced $11.6 million for the Ontario version — the Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program (EAWPP). Originally announced in... Read More
The national rural mental health training program, presented by the Do More Agriculture Foundation (DMA) and Farm Credit Canada, is entering its third year. Applications are now open for the next year of training. The education program is focused on mental health in the ag sector and is aimed at developing the capacity for mental... Read More