Tractors crawl through the streets west of Montreal, demanding assistance
For the second time in under a week, a convoy of tractors crawled through the streets of a Quebec town, sending a message to the government.
Farmers that protested through Vaudreuil-Dorion, west of Montreal, say that their future is at stake and they don't think the government is making them a priority.
"There's a crisis right now in agriculture," said Jeremie Letellier of the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) Monteregie. "There's a lack of financing, especially for the young farmers starting their enterprise. They can't compete on their own market with stuff that's coming from other countries or overseas."
Quebec's farmers union - the UPA - says too much paperwork and strict regulations are keeping farmers from farming.
In addition, higher production costs are making the industry much less profitable.
"We kind of had a triple punch recently with inflation, interest rates and the drop in revenues," said Letellier.
It is the second protest being held in Quebec, with farmers taking to the streets in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on Friday.
Opposition parties are calling on François Legault's CAQ government to do more.
Quebec solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said on the weekend that the government needs to act more quickly and set up an emergency fund.
The Liberal Party (PLQ) and Parti Québécois (PQ) says the CAQ is not doing enough.
"They're saying the situation is under control [that] we already provide the agriculture with our solution; we're doing enough. It's not enough," said interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay.
"I feel that Premier Legault does not realize the crisis that we have in rural areas," said PQ MNA Pascal Bérubé.
Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne says they're working on solutions and helping farms are producers in need of financial help.
With less than one per cent of the provincial budget earmarked for agriculture, however, the UPA is not convinced.
"There's an admission [that] there's a crisis, but there's no solution that's being discussed right now," said Letellier.
Protests are planned for Outaouais-Laurentides on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of US dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Should I invest with a human or a robot? Traditional firms vs. robo-advisors
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.