(Response to question raised by the Honourable Brian Francis on April 5, 2022)

The Government of Canada has supported the sector through the $28 million Surplus Potato Management Response plan. Business risk management programs such as AgriInsurance, AgriStability, and AgriInvest also remain available to potato producers to manage business risks. A producer with an AgriInvest account may also draw upon funds to support a transition to other crops.

As an additional tool to enhance compliance restrictions and reduce the risk of spreading potato wart, Prince Edward Island producers who are required to dispose of their seed potatoes may be eligible for compensation under the Potato Wart Compensation Regulations if they meet the eligibility criteria provided in the regulations. A grower can submit their compensation application once disposal of potatoes is verified.

Details on the compensation application process for seed potato growers were shared at a meeting held by the Government of Canada on April 22, 2022. The Government of Canada is scheduled to meet with P.E.I. growers on June 16, 2022, to further discuss this topic.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Stan Kutcher on April 26, 2022)

The federal health portfolio, in collaboration with various partners, is addressing the issue of post-COVID-19 conditions through investments in research and surveillance, sharing of the latest scientific evidence and the development of information and guidelines to support affected health professionals and Canadians.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with paediatricians across Canada and with the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS), who works closely with various countries through the International Network of Paediatric Surveillance Units on a surveillance study of post-COVID-19 conditions. PHAC is also collaborating with the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to share evidence and preferred practices, and with impacted Canadians to inform the development of evidence-based guidelines and tools. Through Budget 2022, PHAC committed approximately $17 million in the development of these tools for health professionals and citizens. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has invested over $410 million to fund targeted short- and long-term research studies on post-COVID-19 conditions that span biomedical, clinical, health systems and services and population health topics.

Additionally, the federal government will be part of discussions regarding international cooperation in addressing this issue at the G7 Science Ministers meeting in June 2022.

(Response to question raised by the Honourable Mary Coyle on May 10, 2022)

Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is committed to continuous improvement of all of its infrastructure programs and tools, including the Climate Lens.

INFC is developing a detailed action plan for implementation of its responses to the recommendations in the commissioner’s report. INFC is continuing to improve the Climate Lens by integrating climate considerations directly into project applications, enhancing its review process of climate outcomes, and developing user-friendly guidance for applicants, including sector-specific guidance.

These actions will start as soon as this summer, with the publication of sector-specific guidance and documentation of the internal review process in more detail.

As new programs are developed, INFC will continue to integrate clear requirements to provide information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resilience outcomes in the program application process.

The commissioner’s report highlighted some very positive progress that has been made under the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) Program. This includes the integration of clear requirements to provide information on GHG emissions and resilience outcomes, and the requirement to use a standardized tool to estimate energy savings and GHG emissions reductions.