Press Releases
GM Fish Factory in P.E.I. for Sale: Taxpayers Should Get Their Money Back
October 2, 2024. Just four years after its first “harvest” of genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Atlantic salmon in Canada, the US biotechnology company AquaBounty is selling its on-land GM fish factory at Rollo Bay, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Federal government removes transparency and oversight from more gene edited products in our food system
May 8, 2024 - The federal government has completed a trio of regulatory updates that remove government safety assessments and mandatory transparency from most seeds, foods, and livestock feed produced through the new techniques of genetic engineering (genetic...
Canada argues against Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn
April 9, 2024. Canadian public interest groups are critiquing the Government of Canada’s arguments against Mexico’s restrictions on genetically engineered corn that were published on Friday April 5th as part of a North American trade dispute. Yesterday, 31 farmer, labour and environmental groups also published a statement objecting to Canada’s participation in the trade challenge.
Canada and US Governments Shut Down Ability of Canadian NGOs to Comment in Trade Dispute Over Mexico’s GM Corn Ban
January 9, 2024. At the request of the United States and Canadian governments, a trade dispute panel has rescinded an invitation to Canadian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to submit official comments in the dispute under the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement (CUSMA) over Mexico’s phase-out of genetically engineered (genetically modified or GM) corn.
Researchers Disown Their Own Genetically Engineered Tree
December 12, 2023. In a major turnaround, The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has announced it is discontinuing its development of the genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) American chestnut tree called “Darling 58”. TACF is a collaborative partner with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) which, on January 17, 2020, submitted a still-pending request to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for approval to release of this GE tree into the wild. Release of this GE forest tree in the US would pose a direct threat to the future of endangered American chestnut in Canada.
Expert Panel Commissioned by Health Canada Urges Caution on Gene-Edited Insects for Pest Control
November 8, 2023 – Today, the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) released an Expert Panel report commissioned by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada on the regulation of genetically engineering (genetically modified or GM) insects for pest control. The report focuses on the question of releasing gene-edited insects and “gene drive” organisms in particular, designed for release into the environment with the purpose of replacing or changing whole insect populations in the wild. The Expert Panel concludes that the complexity and uncertainties of using such genetically engineered insects (genetically modified organisms or GMOs) raise profound questions and require serious attention from the federal government.
Newly released e-mails show extent of industry influence over Health Canada decision to gut regulatory oversight of GM foods
Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Documents received via Access to Information show that the biotechnology and pesticide industry lobby group CropLife Canada worked in a joint committee with federal government departments called the “Tiger Team” to design new regulatory guidance on genetically engineered foods and crops (genetically modified organisms or GMOs). The new guidance removes government oversight, including government safety assessments, from many new GMOs.
Federal government allows biotechnology companies free reign in the food system, removes safety checks on corporate science and denies transparency to farmers and food companies
May 3, 2023: The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has approved changes to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulatory guidance that, along with similar changes permitted by the Minister of Health in May of 2022, allow product developers to assess the safety of their own genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) seeds and foods without government oversight.
Forest Stewardship Council Backs Away from Genetic Engineering Following Global Campaign Calling on them to Uphold their Ban on GE Trees
April 4, 2023. The Board of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the world’s leading forest product certifier, decided [1] at their March meeting to back away from a process that critics charge would have put forests at risk and would have opened the door to overturning FSC’s long-time core certification policy that prohibits the commercial use of genetically engineered trees.
AquaBounty to stop producing GM salmon in Canada, as world’s first GM food animal struggles to find a market
February 7, 2023. In a major turn-around, the US company AquaBounty says it will stop producing its controversial genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Atlantic salmon in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.
