Latest news with #AgricultureCanada
CBC
23-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
No doubt there's a drought — scientist says N.L. water levels are historically low
Running out of water on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean may seem like an impossible idea — but that's exactly what's happening in Newfoundland. Paula Dawe, a scientist with the province's water resources management team, says more than 40 of the division's water monitoring stations are showing lower levels than normal and 10 of them are at all-time lows. Although that may come as a shock, Dawe says it shouldn't. "A lot of what we're seeing right now is what was predicted in the climate change projections about ... 20 years ago," Dawe said. "[We knew] the temperatures were going to be increasing in Newfoundland and Labrador, that stream flow was going to be lower, that waters were going to be warmer in the summer, that there would be less snowpack and it would be melting earlier." Just this summer, Dawe said she heard about groundwater wells drying up and salmon rivers having to close due to high water temperatures. Northwest River near Terra Nova Park has had to close several times this month for that reason. The area from Gander to St. John's is experiencing a moderate drought, according to data from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The ground is drier than usual on the central part of the island, while most of Labrador is spared, said Dawe. Dawe said heat records will continue to be broken in the coming years due to climate change. "What was once considered extreme ... historically is going to become the new normal," she said. There is a high potential for water shortages this year, Dawe said, but there are ways people can curb that. Some of her tips include waiting until it's absolutely necessary to wash a car or water the lawn. Dawe even recommends putting a brick in toilet tanks to displace some of the water. If communities are experiencing water shortages, Dawe encourages them to contact the province's Water Resources Management Division for support and co-ordination.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Tariffs on canola seen supercharging Canadian farmers' shift to spring wheat
Pumpjacks draw out oil and gas from well heads surrounded by Canola fields near Cremona, Alta., Monday, July 15, 2024. Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world and is the world's fourth largest oil producer. Canola is an important oilseed crop for Canadian farmers, forming the top three crops by average in 2019-2023 in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CBC
28-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
With U.S. tariffs looming, British Columbians urged to buy B.C. seafood
The organization that represents fishermen and processors of wild-caught British Columbia seafood says with a 25 per cent U.S. tariff looming, it's more important than ever for consumers to buy local. But even then, with over 60 per cent of all wild B.C. seafood sold in the U.S. — half a billion dollars worth — it says the campaign probably won't be enough to stave off a serious blow to the industry. "I worry very much that we would be looking at layoffs in both processing plants and for fish harvesters. We would simply have to tie up vessels because there would not be a market," said Christina Burridge, B.C. Seafood Alliance executive director. On Tuesday, a White House spokeswoman confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to follow through on his tariff threat starting Feb. 1. Trump promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs against Mexico and Canada in response to what he called the failure of both countries to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the borders. B.C. Premier David Eby has also advised consumers to seek out Canadian products. "When you are at the grocery store and you have a chance to buy a product right now, [look] carefully at the labels to support Canadian jobs and to support Canada at this critical time," he said. B.C. seafood industry urges consumers to buy local as tariff deadline looms 19 hours ago Duration 1:59 Burridge went to Ottawa last Friday for urgent talks with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Agriculture Canada and Global Affairs Canada. She said expanding the Canadian market for B.C. seafood is tricky. "We would hope that people in B.C. buy more halibut and quite likely the price would be lower, which might be helpful. But I can't see selling a lot of our halibut to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa because they have Atlantic halibut," she said. "But we'll be looking at everything that we can." Canadian officials have been cycling through Washington in recent weeks to promote Canada's $1.3-billion border security plan and make the case that tariffs would hurt both economies. The federal government and some provinces, including B.C., are also looking at relief packages to help businesses and industries affected by Trump's tariffs. The B.C. Seafood Alliance represents 5,000 workers in the sector and is responsible for the majority of commercially harvested seafood in B.C., worth almost $1 billion in annual sales, according to the association's website.
