Latest news with #Wiebe
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C. canola growers brace for new Chinese tariffs as harvest approaches
B.C. canola farmers are staring down millions in losses after China slapped new anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola just weeks before harvest begins. The retaliatory 75.8 per cent tariff on canola seed is the latest volley in the ongoing trade fight between the two countries. While farmers brace for the hit, experts are asking whether Canada's own 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) are worth the cost, and if they should be scrapped in hopes China will reverse its canola tariff. Ernest Wiebe, who farms 800 acres of canola in Montney near Fort St. John, B.C., says producers are feeling discouraged by a recent drop in price for their crops. The price per bushel had been $15 to $16 earlier this year, but it's since dropped to about $12.50 to $13.20 a bushel, Wiebe said. And it's a long way off from the highs of $27 a bushel seen in 2022. "With all the uncertainty and stress of tariffs, and anti-dumping duties, we have seen a significant slide in our prices," he said. Doing the math A price drop by about $3 per bushel can wipe out between $120 and $180 an acre, depending on yield, according to Wiebe, who sits on the board of the Canadian Canola Growers Association. For the roughly 290 producers in the Peace Region, who seed up to 110,000 acres a year and grow 95 per cent of B.C.'s canola, that's a massive hit. Most of the crop is bound for China, where it's crushed and processed into cooking oil. Meanwhile, input costs keep climbing. Fertilizer alone is up $200 a metric ton this year, Wiebe said, on top of higher bills for land, fuel, equipment, and taxes. The growing price gap could mean tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, in losses for the average farmer, and millions for B.C.'s economy."Overall, farmers [are] incredibly discouraged, and looking at it and going, 'Well, how are we going to make this all work?'" said Wiebe. B.C. growers are hoping for an average or slightly above-average crop this year. But a very dry May followed by late June rains has delayed maturity, raising the risk that bad weather — possibly even snow — could interfere with harvest. Pressure on Ottawa Werner Antweiler, an associate professor at University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, says he is worried about farmers suffering the consequences of "arbitrary" Canadian tariffs. The canola tariffs came after Canada's 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs, and Antweiler says the EV tariffs weren't based on a proper investigation under World Trade Organization (WTO) principles. "We should definitely revisit this issue and, in that way, also maybe reduce the countervailing duties that we now see on canola exports." Stuart Smyth, a professor of agriculture and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan, believes China's new tariffs are a strategic move to push down international canola prices before China buys large volumes at a discount. Similar tariffs in 2019 and 2020 cost the canola industry $2.3 billion, he said. "If this stays in for six or eight months, we could be looking at billions of dollars in costs," Smyth told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. China claims Canada is dumping canola below the cost of production, which the federal government denies. Smyth says Canada doesn't subsidize crops like other countries do, nor does it promote exports with subsidies. LISTEN | Professor says EV tariffs hurt B.C. farmers Canada and China are challenging each other at the WTO, and while Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is working with industry to find solutions, Smyth doesn't expect much of a response. He believes Carney is prioritizing the steel, aluminum, and auto sectors to save jobs in southern Ontario, where there's a high density of voters. "The federal government has been very reserved on reaching out to China, having consultations, or even trying to set up discussions with them," Smyth said. Farmers running out of time Wiebe says the federal government needs to strike a deal with China soon, even if that means walking back its EV tariffs. "If that could be resolved, and the tariffs, or the anti-dumping duty in this case, lifted, I believe our canola price would probably jump $2 to $3 a bushel probably within the next week." Some may pivot from canola if profitability keeps sliding, Wiebe said, but planting other crops like wheat or oats has risks of its own. Flooding those markets could only end up driving down those prices too. "We're price takers," he said. "We can only sell at what the market offers."
CBC
a day ago
- Business
- CBC
B.C. canola growers brace for new Chinese tariffs as harvest approaches
B.C. canola farmers are staring down millions in losses after China slapped new anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola just weeks before harvest begins. The retaliatory 75.8 per cent tariff on canola seed is the latest volley in the ongoing trade fight between the two countries. While farmers brace for the hit, experts are asking whether Canada's own 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) are worth the cost, and if they should be scrapped in hopes China will reverse its canola tariff. Ernest Wiebe, who farms 800 acres of canola in Montney near Fort St. John, B.C., says producers are feeling discouraged by a recent drop in price for their crops. The price per bushel had been $15 to $16 earlier this year, but it's since dropped to about $12.50 to $13.20 a bushel, Wiebe said. And it's a long way off from the highs of $27 a bushel seen in 2022. "With all the uncertainty and stress of tariffs, and anti-dumping duties, we have seen a significant slide in our prices," he said. Doing the math A price drop by about $3 per bushel can wipe out between $120 and $180 an acre, depending on yield, according to Wiebe, who sits on the board of the Canadian Canola Growers Association. For the roughly 290 producers in the Peace Region, who seed up to 110,000 acres a year and grow 95 per cent of B.C.'s canola, that's a massive hit. Most of the crop is bound for China, where it's crushed and processed into cooking oil. Meanwhile, input costs keep climbing. Fertilizer alone is up $200 a metric ton this year, Wiebe said, on top of higher bills for land, fuel, equipment, and taxes. The growing price gap could mean tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, in losses for the average farmer, and millions for B.C.'s economy. WATCH | Canola farmers brace for tariff impact: Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola have farmers bracing for the worst 3 days ago A new Chinese tariff of over 75 per cent on Canadian canola seed takes effect today, effectively closing Canada's biggest export market for the product. The tariffs are an escalation in a mounting trade dispute between the two countries. "Overall, farmers [are] incredibly discouraged, and looking at it and going, 'Well, how are we going to make this all work?'" said Wiebe. B.C. growers are hoping for an average or slightly above-average crop this year. But a very dry May followed by late June rains has delayed maturity, raising the risk that bad weather — possibly even snow — could interfere with harvest. Pressure on Ottawa Werner Antweiler, an associate professor at University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, says he is worried about farmers suffering the consequences of "arbitrary" Canadian tariffs. The canola tariffs came after Canada's 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs, and Antweiler says the EV tariffs weren't based on a proper investigation under World Trade Organization (WTO) principles. "We should definitely revisit this issue and, in that way, also maybe reduce the countervailing duties that we now see on canola exports." Stuart Smyth, a professor of agriculture and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan, believes China's new tariffs are a strategic move to push down international canola prices before China buys large volumes at a discount. Similar tariffs in 2019 and 2020 cost the canola industry $2.3 billion, he said. "If this stays in for six or eight months, we could be looking at billions of dollars in costs," Smyth told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton. China claims Canada is dumping canola below the cost of production, which the federal government denies. Smyth says Canada doesn't subsidize crops like other countries do, nor does it promote exports with subsidies. Canada and China are challenging each other at the WTO, and while Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is working with industry to find solutions, Smyth doesn't expect much of a response. He believes Carney is prioritizing the steel, aluminum, and auto sectors to save jobs in southern Ontario, where there's a high density of voters. "The federal government has been very reserved on reaching out to China, having consultations, or even trying to set up discussions with them," Smyth said. Farmers running out of time Wiebe says the federal government needs to strike a deal with China soon, even if that means walking back its EV tariffs. "If that could be resolved, and the tariffs, or the anti-dumping duty in this case, lifted, I believe our canola price would probably jump $2 to $3 a bushel probably within the next week." Some may pivot from canola if profitability keeps sliding, Wiebe said, but planting other crops like wheat or oats has risks of its own. Flooding those markets could only end up driving down those prices too. "We're price takers," he said. "We can only sell at what the market offers."
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Access Credit Union names new president
MANITOBA'S largest credit union has hired a new leader. Myrna Wiebe will become Access Credit Union's president and CEO starting Sept. 2. She replaces Larry Davey, who helmed the organization for 13 years. Wiebe has spent more than 32 years at Access Credit Union, per her LinkedIn profile. She began her latest role as chief strategy and information officer in 2018. She's the Teachers' Retirement Allowances Fund investment committee chair and is a board member of the Winnipeg Women's Conference committee and the Canadian Credit Union Association. Wiebe also serves on the democratic control review committee at Credit Union Central of Manitoba, a news release by Access Credit Union reads. The credit union has more than 205,000 members and upwards of $13.5 billion in assets. — staff
Winnipeg Free Press
08-08-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Justice minister won't say whether police disciplinary reports should be public
Manitoba's justice minister supports implementing a uniform code of conduct for Winnipeg police but stopped short of committing to the public release of disciplinary reports involving officers. Winnipeg Police Service Chief Gene Bowers sent a written appeal to Matt Wiebe on Wednesday, requesting changes to the provincial Police Services Act that would allow the WPS to disclose disciplinary actions taken against officers. Bowers sent the letter one day before he revealed new details in the investigation into Const. Elston Bostock, who is now facing charges for an array of alleged offences, including drug trafficking and sharing intimate photos of a dead woman. Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe says he welcomes further discussions with Winnipeg's police chief about making police disciplinary records public, but didn't definitively say whether he thinks they should be publicly released. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files) 'The charges that we heard about today are deeply disturbing, and I was shocked by the details of this investigation,' Wiebe said in a phone interview. 'Police officers are rightly held to a higher standard, and allegations like this can erode trust in policing.' Wiebe confirmed his office received Bowers' letter and said work is already underway within the justice department to develop a uniform code of conduct. Asked about the potential for police discipline decision reports to become public, Wiebe said he welcomes further discussions with the chief. He did not directly answer whether he believes Manitobans are entitled to view such reports. 'Our primary focus is on building that accountability and transparency, and so we're happy to work with Chief Bowers to best implement the tools that will give that confidence to Manitobans about law enforcement,' Wiebe said. Speaking to reporters during a news conference at WPS headquarters Thursday, Bowers said disclosing all disciplinary actions is a critical step toward regaining public confidence in city police. 'Trust — you can't just ask for it, you have to show it by action,' Bowers said. 'We are one of the few jurisdictions in Canada that don't publish, and that's because there is a bylaw prohibiting us from doing so.' Amending the act would allow police to supersede that bylaw and publish details about police misconduct and resulting penalties, Bowers said. The public disclosure of disciplinary actions is commonplace within many of Manitoba's regulated professions, including doctors, nurses, dentists, paramedics and lawyers. Investigations handled by the WPS professional standards unit are not currently public. Coun. Markus Chambers, chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board, said the board supports Bowers' move toward transparency. The board advocated for the creation of a uniform code of conduct and the publication of discipline reports under former police chief Danny Smyth. Barriers within the provincial act and 'union issues' prevented changes from moving forward, Chambers said. 'If we go through the process of the Police Services Act, then it becomes a process, as opposed to squaring it away with the union,' Chambers said by phone. 'It will increase accountability knowing that if a complaint is filed, that there is an action and an outcome to it. A lot of times now, the public isn't aware of what the outcome is, whether it is a positive outcome or a negative outcome,' Chambers said. Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed his support in a separate statement. 'These are important steps to strengthen accountability,' he said. Cory Wiles, president of the Winnipeg Police Union, pushed back on Bower's letter. He said discipline disclosure is already handled by the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba. The police watchdog investigates all serious incidents involving officers and produces written reports about their conclusions. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Wiles noted police disciplinary records can sometimes become public through the court system, if they are relevant to criminal or civil proceedings. 'Chief Bowers was a WPS member for many years, and I'm sure he is already familiar with these obligations,' Wiles said in an email. 'I expect he also recognizes that, whatever he is looking at, the (Winnipeg Police Union) will always act to ensure the privacy rights of its members — just like the members of other public-sector unions, and just like those of individual Canadians — are always respected.' The charges against Bostock have not been tested in court. He remains in custody, with his next appearance slated for Aug. 11. Tyler SearleReporter Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler. Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hamilton Spectator
31-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
A cider rebellion brews in the Prairies: Local makers toast sales surge amid trade tensions
As trade tensions between Canada and the United States intensify, a quiet economic ripple is being felt in local liquor stores, and southern Manitoba's cider makers are riding the wave. According to a new analysis from Spirits Canada and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, sales of U.S.-produced spirits in Canada plummeted by 66.3% between March 5 and April 30 compared to the same period last year. The sharp decline follows provincial liquor agencies pulling American liquor brands in response to U.S. tariffs and a growing grassroots movement to 'Buy Canadian.' That movement appears to have legs. Market researchers at dunnhumby report that 71% of Canadians say they plan to reduce their purchases of U.S. goods in 2025 — a shift that's beginning to reshape not only consumer behaviour but also the business fortunes of local producers. One of those seeing the impact is Dead Horse Cider Co., a craft cidery nestled in the Winkler–Morden region. Founder Marcus Wiebe said, while it's difficult to pinpoint a single cause, the numbers don't lie. 'We've seen our sales in the liquor marts really go up,' he says. 'It's probably a combination of our brand becoming more established and this renewed interest in supporting Canadian-made. Either way, it's been good for us.' Wiebe's small but growing cidery has weathered years of stiff competition from multinational brands. But this spring, something changed. 'There's a bit of an 'elbows-up' Canadian pride,' he said. 'People are waking up to where their products are coming from. It's too bad it took this to make that happen, but I'll take it.' While Dead Horse doesn't directly compete with many U.S. cider brands, the broader pro-Canadian sentiment and shrinking shelf space for U.S. products appear to be lifting all local boats. 'It's not just about what got pulled off the shelf,' said Wiebe. 'It's more about people asking, where is this made? That's been good for us.' The shift has come with its own costs. Wiebe said some ingredients and supplies — especially those imported from the U.S. — have gone up in price. But overall, the impact has been positive. 'I'm not saying tariffs are good,' he said. 'But the trickle-down effects? Yeah, they've helped our business.' In a move likely to escalate the standoff, U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced a 35% tariff on select Canadian goods, effective August 1. The move is widely seen as retaliation for provincial-level boycotts and Ottawa's refusal to roll back earlier countermeasures. Yet amid the saber-rattling and shifting allegiances, entrepreneurs like Wiebe are finding unexpected opportunities and a renewed sense of purpose. 'Running a cidery is never boring,' he said. 'You're always up against bigger companies with deeper pockets. But moments like this remind you why you do it. You get to see people in the wild drinking something you made. That's a great feeling.' Founded in 2018, Dead Horse Cider has become a staple at local farmers' markets and festivals. With a taproom and orchard just outside Winkler, the operation handles every step from apple to can. And Wiebe's not alone. The local craft cider scene has expanded from a one-player game to at least three Manitoba-based cideries in recent years — a sign that even in a tight market, there's room for growth. 'It's like they say, rising tides raise all boats,' he said. 'There's enough demand that even a small cidery like ours can carve out a space.' For Wiebe, the lesson is clear: when politics complicate trade, the community can rewrite the rules. — Steven Sukkau is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Have thoughts on what's going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
