Oct. 31, 2014, Toronto – Restaurants Canada is frustrated with the lack
of response from the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission to its
request for copies of proposed
amendments, prices and costs, said president Garth Whyte in an open
letter.
Oct. 31, 2014, Toronto – Restaurants Canada is frustrated with the lack of response from the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission to its request for copies of proposed
amendments, prices and costs, said president Garth Whyte in an open letter.
"Canada's restaurant industry purchases approximately $2.2 billion
a year in Canadian chicken. It is a popular menu item at many of our
members' restaurants, and Restaurants Canada has long said it would like
to be a full partner in promoting the growth and further development of
the chicken industry," said Restaurants Canada president Garth Whyte in an open letter to the commission.
Your commission is currently examining the cost of production (COP) formula used in setting the price of Ontario chicken. This process is important because the price set for chicken in Ontario determines the price charged for chicken across the whole country.
On Oct. 8, Restaurants Canada requested from the commission a copy of all the amendments proposed, along with proposed prices and costs; and a full description of the cost of production formula in place since
2002, including any modifications either in formula or assigned
costs/prices. Whyte expressed frustration that the commission had not responded to the request.
"The restaurant industry is Canada's
second-largest purchaser of chicken and has been denied intervener –
even observer – status during this review. Our association is unable to
respond to the commission's invitation to provide commentary on the
proposed amendments by the deadline of Nov. 6,
because these amendments have not been made known. For that matter,
details of the COP used since 2002 have also not been shared publicly.
As a result, outside interveners like ourselves don't know if amendments
proposed by the current review significantly advance the consumer, our
industry and – ultimately – the public interest."
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