The Canadian government managed to pass its budget on November 17 by a narrow vote of 170-168. An estimated 40,000 jobs will be cut over the next few years. This will inevitably lead to a decrease in the quality of public services, and impact workers’ lives across the country.
The following is just a small but important snapshot of the ways that this budget will impact local communities, and the Canadian economy.
To meet its target of a 15% reduction in spending at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the budget states: “activities that will be phased out include decommissioning some vehicle washing stations”. This refers to the CFIA’s quarantine inspection stations.
What are these quarantine inspection stations, and why are they so important?
There are currently only two CFIA quarantine inspection and vehicle washing stations, both operating in Newfoundland and Labrador. They’re located at Marine Atlantic ferry terminals: one in Argentia, and the other in Channel-Port aux Basques. They employ a total of twenty-one people who now risk losing their jobs.
The CFIA washing stations inspect every vehicle (passenger and commercial) leaving NL by ferry. Soil in NL contains potato wart and potato cyst nematodes (microscopic worms), which have been known to devastate potato crops in other Maritime provinces. The invisible soil on a single truck tire could carry viable cysts, spores, or larvae across provinces within days. Once these organisms reach the mainland, they spread quietly — showing no sign until it’s far too late. The 2021 potato wart outbreak in PEI led to a loss of $120 million in exports to the USA. In total, the potato industry contributes more than $1.5 billion annually to Canada’s economy, supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
The CFIA’s quarantine and washing stations in Newfoundland and Labrador can prevent the spread of dangerous plant viruses. Without these facilities, there is no choke point, no decontamination, no safety net. Closing them is a reckless move.
For small communities like Channel-Port aux Basques and Argentia, jobs like these are a lifeline. They help support already fragile economies and could provide stability for generations to come.
The inspectors and members of the Agriculture Union working at these stations are highly trained professionals performing a service no automated process can replace. They are Canada’s front-line defenders against invisible threats. They maintain a 100% inspection rate — every vehicle, trailer, and piece of equipment leaving regulated zones is checked. Closing these stations means going from 100% inspection to 0% oversight overnight.
This is the face of austerity. This is the face of the Carney government. It means sacrificing security in the name of “efficiency” and leaving the public to fend for themselves.
Recent polling has shown that 61% of Canadians want to protect food inspection services further cuts.
The Carney minority government does not have a mandate to take an axe to our public services. They have a mandate to work with opposition parties and stakeholders to find solutions that work for Canadians.
The potential closing of the CFIA inspection stations in Newfoundland and Labrador is just one example among many of the way this budget hurts our economy, environment, and local communities.
We call on people to contact the Ministers of Health and Agriculture and Agri-Food and demand that the CFIA Quarantine Inspection Stations in Newfoundland and Labrador remain open.