Mar 31, 2022 | International
On March 23, 2022, Nobra Holsteins Inc. was sentenced and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine after pleading guilty to one count of contravening subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act related to a liquid manure spill that occurred on or about June 3, 2020.
March 31, 2022 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Strong and effective enforcement of Canada’s environmental and wildlife protection laws is one of the concrete ways we are delivering on our commitment to provide clean air, clean water, and the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat.
On March 23, 2022, Nobra Holsteins Inc. was sentenced and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine after pleading guilty to one count of contravening subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act related to a liquid manure spill that occurred on or about June 3, 2020. The fine will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund. In addition to the fine, the company has been ordered to create a Manure Spill Prevention and Response Plan that will be readily available to all company employees and farm workers.
On June 3 and 4, 2020, an Environment and Climate Change Canada environmental enforcement officer and conservation officers from the Province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) responded to a report of a liquid manure spill in Irishtown, PEI. Officers collected water samples and dead Brook Trout from the affected watershed where the liquid manure was deposited. The water samples were analyzed and the elevated ammonia concentrations, indicating high pH levels, were determined to be acutely lethal and deleterious to fish as defined under the Fisheries Act. The dead fish smelled strongly of manure and a necropsy revealed that the fish had been healthy until the incident.
A joint investigation by Environment and Climate Change Canada officers and PEI conservation officers determined that the spill had resulted from a rupture of a recently installed transfer hose intended to transfer liquid manure over a long distance. Nobra Holsteins Inc. did not exercise due diligence and failed to take all reasonable steps to avoid this offence. It was discovered that the system was not properly installed prior to its use, that it was not properly inspected prior to pumping liquid manure, and that the transfer hose was installed in a high-risk area on Prince Edward Island Government property without proper approval.
The spill killed 530 Brook Trout in a 2,459-metre section of the tributary, forced the closure of shellfish harvesting areas from June until the end of September 2020, and halted recreational activities in the area until December 2021. Restocking the affected waterway cost nearly $6,000.
As a result of this conviction, the company’s name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. The Registry contains information on convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has created a free subscription service to help Canadians stay current with what the Government of Canada is doing to protect our natural environment.
Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca
Mar 29, 2022 | International
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, concluded a two-day visit to Prince Edward Island on Sunday.
March 28, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, concluded a two-day visit to Prince Edward Island on Sunday. The trip included stops in Charlottetown, Victoria, Wellington, and O’Leary to meet with farmers across the Island, and discuss the upcoming growing season and reopening of the table stock potatoes market to the United States. The visit comes at a critical time for the industry, since resuming exports of Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes into the continental United States will provide the predictability and assurance farmers need for the next potato growing season.
Recognizing the importance of strong collaboration between governments at all levels, Minister Bibeau met with Prince Edward Island Minister of Agriculture Bloyce Thompson in Charlottetown, where both discussed how to best support the industry moving forward. In addition, they also took the opportunity to discuss the Next Agricultural Policy Framework, which will play an important role in Canada’s commitment to tackling climate change and creating a sustainable future in Canadian agriculture.
Minister Bibeau also met with Ray and Alvin Keenan of Rollo Bay Holdings, a family run potato growing and packaging operation located in Souris, and a major player in retail and food service for over 70 years.
After meeting with Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, to discuss priorities for the capital, Minister Bibeau was joined by Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, to meet with John Visser, Chairman of the PEI Potato Board, and a group of growers. During tours of Mr. Visser’s farm and the Thompson Potato Company in Victoria, potato growers shared with Minister Bibeau how the closure of the United States market has impacted their operations and their priorities going forward.
The Minister then travelled to Wellington and O’Leary, accompanied by Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, where she toured Urbainville Farms and J&J Farms, to learn about their unique approaches to potato farming and their visions for the future.
Minister Bibeau concluded her trip back in Charlottetown where she had a productive meeting with the PEI Potato Board about how to best position the Island’s potato industry for success in the short and long term.
Prince Edward Island has a long history of producing the highest quality potatoes for Canadians and international consumers. The Government of Canada will continue to stand up for Prince Edward Island potato farmers who are integral to their communities and our economy.
“The meetings with Prince Edward Island potato growers this past weekend provided an opportunity for open discussions that were appreciated by both sides. I am confident that by continuing to work together constructively with the Potato Board and the province, we will ensure the industry adapts and rebounds”
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The United States is a major destination for Prince Edward Island potatoes, with approximately $103.4 million of total Prince Edward Island table stock and processing potato exports in 2020.
On March 24, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that the United States will soon resume imports of Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes into the continental United States with conditions.
This decision follows several months of technical discussions between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, through which the Agency shared scientific information and reports to support Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’ risk assessment exercise to enable the resumption of trade. This included scientific data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s investigation of the recent potato wart detections, clear risk mitigation measures, the results from our national survey for potato wart, and information related to the implementation of Potato Wart Domestic Long Term Management plan.
On February 8, 2022, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the resumption of trade in table stock potatoes from Prince Edward Island to Puerto Rico. This was an important step in restoring United States market access for Prince Edward Island, as exports of Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes to Puerto Rico were valued at $12 million in 2020.
Marianne Dandurand
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
marianne.dandurand@agr.gc.ca
343-541-9229
Aug 2, 2021 | International
Applications for Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowships and Scholarships for Overseas Studies 2022/23
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The following is issued on behalf of the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council:
The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council reminded interested applicants today (August 2) that its Fellowships and Scholarships for Overseas Studies (including the award for students with disabilities) for the academic year 2022/23 have been accepting applications since July 2.
The fellowships and scholarships aim at encouraging outstanding students to pursue further studies in reputable institutions overseas. Successful candidates for the awards are expected to have a strong sense of commitment to Hong Kong and be ready to contribute significantly to the community upon graduation.
The fellowships are for studies leading to postgraduate degrees either by research or by coursework; the scholarships are for studies leading to undergraduate degrees.
The applicants will be responsible for fulfilling all application procedures and admission requirements of the academic institutions of their choice.
The maximum value of a fellowship is HK$300,000 per year, tenable for up to three years for a doctoral degree or two years for a master’s degree. The maximum value of a scholarship is HK$280,000 per year, tenable for up to three years.
Application forms and information notes can be downloaded from the website of the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency at www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/forms/form.htm.
The documents are also available at the following offices:
(a) Student Finance Office
Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency
Reception Hall, 11/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices
303 Cheung Sha Wan Road
Kowloon
(b) Trust Funds and Temples Joint Secretariat
Reception Counter, 34/F, Wu Chung House
213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
Hong Kong
For enquiries, please call (852) 2150 6097 or (852) 2150 6098.
The closing date for all applications is September 17, 2021. For Fellowships and Scholarships for Overseas Studies, short-listed applicants will be invited to attend interviews in Hong Kong. The first round of interviews is scheduled for January 2022. If found suitable, applicants will be invited for a final interview to be held around February/March 2022. Applicants short-listed for the Overseas Fellowship/Scholarship for Disabled Students will be invited to attend one round of interview in Hong Kong around February/March 2022.
