Events for 2013-01-03 00:00:00

B.C. protects water

The B.C. government has amended its controlled alien species regulation to include tough fines for those who introduce invasive species into local ecosystems.

The strengthened regulation acts on a previous commitment to ban the snakehead fish.

Main measures include:

Prohibiting possession, breeding, release and transportation of high-risk aquatic species such as the snakehead. Releasing a live snakehead into local waters could result in a fine of up to $250,000.
Requiring that no invasive zebra or quagga mussel, alive or dead, be present on boats or related equipment. Failure to clean mussels off boats or equipment could result in a fine of up to $100,000.

Read Also

Farming Smarter receives financial boost from Alberta government for potato research

Farming Smarter near Lethbridge got a boost to its research equipment, thanks to the Alberta government’s increase in funding for research associations.

Until now, the controlled alien species regulation was used to control the possession, breeding, shipping and releasing of animals that are not native to B.C., that pose a serious risk to the health or safety of people, such as tigers.

The new rules target specific aquatic invasive species to prevent live species from coming into contact with B.C. waters.

Canadian food promoted on India’s Food Network

Canadian food, drink, and tourism will be showcased to the world as millions of viewers tune into a popular Indian cooking and travel show this month.

New Delhi Television’s Good Times will air 10 weekly English-language episodes hosted by Indian celebrity chef Vicky Ratnani.

The series, called Vicky Goes Foreign — Canada Tadka was filmed in eight provinces this summer and fall.

It will be broadcast to more than 39 million NDTV viewers in India and to millions more internationally via satellite networks and the internet.

The episodes feature a combination of cooking demonstrations by Canadian chefs and Ratnani and visits to popular eateries and tourist attractions.

Canadian food and drinks featured in the series include canola oil, peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, barley, potatoes, fish and seafood, wild rice, hemp, honey, cheese, wine, ice wine and beer.

FCL sees record sales in 2012

Federated Co-operatives Ltd. achieved record sales of $8.8 billion in 2012, an increase of seven percent from the previous year.

It also reported net earnings from operations of $827 million for the fiscal year that ended Oct. 31.

The Saskatoon-based company, which is owned by 230 retail co-op members in Western Canada, experienced sales growth in all its strategic business sectors: energy, food, home and building supplies, crop supplies and feed.

Of the $827 million in net earnings from operations, $527 million is being returned to FCL’s retail owner-members in the form of a patronage allocation.

The remainder is retained in FCL to fund future growth initiatives and capital requirements.

FCL invested $1.3 billion in capital projects in 2012, including completion of the Co-op Refinery Complex Section V expansion in Regina, the continued expansion of the Saskatoon warehouse and construction of the new Carseland petroleum terminal near Calgary, which is scheduled for completion this year.

FCL also supported initiatives to upgrade hundreds of food stores, gas bars and home and building centres.

Jan. 5-12