2022 Winter Blocktalk - The Labour Issue

Iwould like to thank the entire association for their continued support for our industry. I firmly believe that the strength of this association comes from its members and their engagement. It was wonderful to see and connect with many of you at last month’s Meat Industry Expo and Red-Carpet Gala where we recognized the tremendous work that you are doing to move our industry forward.

Meat & Poultry Ontario continues to serve you and your businesses through advocacy, training and labour development. My experience in the meat and poultry industry over the last 15 years has taught me that labour is, and will continue to be one of the most critical determinants of your business’s success. As unemployment hits an all time low, it can become even harder to attract and retain workers in what can be a demanding field of work. MPO has helped me to recognize that we have a unique vision and story to tell, our industry is positioned to influence the culture, traditions and memories that families create around their tables. As we continue to navigate this difficult labour market, it is more important than ever to understand your value proposition and share your story with current, and potential employees. Moreover, as the busy holiday season approaches it is important to find ways to connect with your employees that is meaningful, intentional, and focused on their growth as an individual; be that personal or professional. It is my belief that by investing in our staff, and with the help of our new Centre for Meat Innovation and Technology we can build workforce that helps to support and grow your company, and the industry.

Thank you,

Schinkel President

As 2022 comes to an end and planning for 2023 begins, I thought a quick reflection on the past year would be in order.

I am still energized by the buzz that filled the room at the Meat Industry Expo in October. It was great to see so many new and old faces, connections being made, and attendees joining us from across the country

We closed off our Expo weekend by celebrating our members accomplishments in style at our Red Carpet Gala held at Fallsview Casino. For the first time since 2019 we honoured the winners of the Ontario Finest Meat Competition™, and ended the evening by crowning Doug Easterbrook as Ontario’s Finest Butcher.

This year we introduced a Public Service Recognition award in honour of Pat Johnson. Pat was widely recognized as a great supporter of the industry that went above and beyond what is expected of her, helping meat plants realize their full potential. This award was presented to Kelly McAslan and Natasha Bartlett from OMAFRA for their recent work on reducing barriers for interprovincial trade, which resulted in a pilot project being launched in Ontario.

MPO has been collaborating with our associate members and partners from around the globe to build the foundation for the Centre for Meat Innovation and Technology (CMIT). CMIT will be focused on connecting our industry to showcase the latest technology and innovations, provide skills and training to build the next generation of our workforce, and share best practices in meat processing. The new reality is that we need to continue to innovate and build efficiencies within our sector, and the Centre for Meat Innovation and Technology will be focused on helping you achieve that.

Wishing you and your families the Happiest of Holidays, and a prosperous New Year.

VISION

A sustainable, respectful and diverse food system that celebrates the nutritional and economic value of meat and poultry.

MISSION

We strengthen the meat and poultry industry in Ontario by connecting people, influencing change and empowering our members.

MPO LIFETIME MEMBERS

• Richard Halenda (2021)

• Doris Valade (2019)

• Laurie Nicol (2018)

• Joe Abate (2017)

• Brian Quinn (2016)

• Graham Dalziel (2015)

• Tony Facciolo (2011)

• Pat Johnson (2005)

• Gerry Houtzager (2003)

• Leo Rocheleau (2001)

• Jim Vidoczy (2000)

• Nancy Ackert (1997)

• Dr. Ron Usborne (1996)

• Ron Deeth (1995)

MPO LONG TIME MEMBERS

Thank you to our long time members who have been helping move the industry forward for over 25 years.

• Abate Packers (1979)

• Canadian Butcher Supply (1979)

• Domingos Meat Packers (1979)

• Sargent Farms (1979)

• Townsend Meats (1979)

• Ontario Pork, Guelph (1980)

• Gord’s Abattoir, Leamington (1982)

• L’Orignal Packing, L’Orignal (1986)

• MMIS/MONDO, Aurora (1986)

• Nitta Casings, Markham (1986)

• Walnut Hill Farms, Gads Hill (1986)

• VG Meats, Simcoe (1987)

• Rothsay, Dundas (1988)

• Stemmler Meat & Cheese, Heidelberg (1988)

• Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Burlington (1989)

• Jetnet Norstar, Toronto (1989)

• Schinkels’ Gourmet Meats, Chatham (1989)

• Springer’s Meats, Hamilton (1989)

• Barron Poultry, Amherstburg (1991)

• Brenner Packers, Windsor (1991)

• Norwich Packers, Norwich (1991)

• Weston Abattoir, Maidstone (1991)

• Handtmann Canada, Waterloo (1992)

• Hay’s Custom Cutting, Campbellford (1992)

• Hoffman Meats & European Deli, Stayner (1992)

• Newmarket Meat Packers, Newmarket (1992)

• WIBERG Corporation, Oakville (1992)

• Schinkel’s Legacy, Chatam (1993)

• Windcrest Meat Packers, Port Perry (1994)

• Malabar Super Spice, Burlington (1994)

• R. Denninger Ltd., Hamilton (1995)

• Conestoga Meats (1997)

• Gords Abattoir (1982)

MEAT INDUSTRY ACHIEVEMENT (MIA) AWARD RECIPIENTS

• King Cole Duck (2021)

• Hayter’s Farm, Dashwood (2016)

• Schinkel’s Legacy, Chatham (2014)

• Conestoga Meat Packers, Breslau (2013)

• In Memory of Dave Tiller (2012)

• Halenda’s Fine Foods, Oshawa (2011)

• Springer’s Meats, Hamilton (2010)

• VG Meats, Simcoe (2009)

• Stemmler’s Meat & Cheese, Heidelberg (2008)

• Leo Rocheleau, Maidstone (2007)

ASSOCIATE MEMBER RECOGNITION AWARD (AMRA) RECIPIENTS

• Farm Credit Canada (2022)

• Viscofan (2021)

• Multivac Canada Inc., Brampton (2020)

• Reiser Canada, Burlington (2019)

• VC999, Saint-Germainde-Grantham (2018)

• Handtmann Canada, Waterloo (2017)

• Malabar Super Spice, Burlington (2016)

Franco Naccarato, Executive Director

PAT JOHNSON AWARD

• Natasha Barlett, OMAFRA (2022)

• Kelly McAslan, OMAFRA (2022)

Kevin

Welcome to the Association

Building an informed and engaged membership representing a diverse Ontario meat and poultry industry.

GTA Strategies

Jim Karygiannis info@gtastrategies.com (416) 499-4588 61 Lambeth Sq Toronto, ON M1W 3B3

Tab Commerce

Ty Wilson info@usetab.io (844)701-1772 43 Hanna Ave Toronto, ON M6K 1X1

Creative Meats Shane Olsen creative_meats@hotmail.com (705) 967-2643 7437 Highway 17 East RR1 Warren, ON P0H 2N0

Speducci Mercatto

Rosie Scavuzzo info@speducci.com (416) 242-2777 46 Milford Avenue Toronto, ON M6M 2V8

Dufferin County Meats Inc. Dany Carvalho danycarvalho1975@gmail.com (519) 939-8067 335424 Line 7 Amaranth, ON L9V 1K6

MPO

ADMINISTRATION BOARD LISTING

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Franco Naccarato franco@MeatPoultryON.ca

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Daphne Nuys-Hall technical@MeatPoultryON.ca

EVENTS, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER April Jackman april@MeatPoultryON.ca

OFFICE MANAGER Meghan Schmuck meghan@meatpoultryon.ca

MARKET DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST Derek Boudreau derek@MeatPoultryON.ca

DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR MEAT INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY Luis Garcia luis@meatpoultryon.ca

PRESIDENT | Kevin Schinkel Schinkel’s Legacy, Chatham

PAST PRESIDENT | Carol Goriup Florence Meats

SECRETARY/TREASURER Adam Hayward

Nesbitt’s Meat Market, Lindsay

DIRECTOR | Gerhard Metzger Metzger Meats, Hensall

DIRECTOR | Peter Baarda J&G Quality Meats, Burlington

DIRECTOR | Doris Valade The Malabar Group Inc., Campbellville

DIRECTOR | Jeff Miedema Townsend Butchers Inc., Simcoe

DIRECTOR | Dale Schefter Schefter Poultry Processing Ltd., Gorrie

DIRECTOR | Doug Alexander Leadbetter Foods Inc., Orillia

DIRECTOR | Yaser Alqayem Parkhill Meats, Parkhill

DIRECTOR | Christine BonneauO’Neill

L’Orignal Packing, L’Orignal DIRECTOR | Shannon Desborough Finest Sausage & Meats, Kitchener

BLOCKtalk is the official publication of the MPO, distributed to over 250 MPO members, commodity groups, and others throughout the industry, providing excellent advertising opportunities for suppliers of the meat and poultry industry to promote their newest, most innovative, supplies, equipment, and technology.

BLOCKtalk encourages Associate Members and supporters of the industry to submit articles which would be beneficial to our members. ADVERTISING DEADLINES 2023 Spring January 5 Summer April 28 Fall July 27 Winter October 26

information published in BLOCKtalk is compiled from a variety of sources, which we believe to be reliable; however, MPO does not guarantee, and assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the information.

By Deanna Zenger (Food Processing Skills Canada)

ovember 2021, we started a conversation in Block Talk around labour market issues and what initiatives employers and industry can undertake to survive. Since then, we have held many labour market webinars. Employers had access to funded programs and Canada welcomed over 405,000 newcomers. We have reskilled and upskilled jobseekers and employees, and we tracked the data. It has been a busy year!

What have we learned?

Being boots on the ground for FPSC allows me to interact with job seekers and employers alike. MPO members, various food industry sectors and non-food employers. I have spoken with many of you. As National Project Manager for FPSC, we rely on professional project evaluations to validate key findings. Throughout our projects, one solution has consistently proven to be the most successful. EDUCATION.

1. To Retain is to Attract

Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) Succeeding at Work Project is winding down. We promise to share project evaluations in a future Block Talk as the preliminary results as enlightening. Dedicating your time and effort towards existing employees has led to results above our expectations. How did we achieve this. EDUCATION.

• 70% of employees would be somewhat likely to leave their current job to work for an organization known for investing in employee development and learning.

• 34% of employees who left their previous job were motivated to do so by more career development opportunities.

• 86% of millennials would be kept from leaving their current position if training and development were offered by their employer.

• Over 70% of high-retention-risk employees will leave their company in order to advance their career.

• Retention rates rise 30-50% for companies with strong learning cultures.

• 96% of SAW participants recommended the program to family and friends.

2. Opportunities Come in All Cultures

Last year Canada welcomed over 405,000 newcomers - the most we’ve ever welcomed in a single year Under its Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is now looking to welcome over 460,000 new immigrants each year, which is the highest levels in Canadian history. Immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth, and, by 2032, it’s projected to account for 100% of Canada’s population growth. The Government is continuing that ambition by setting targets in the new levels plan of 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025. The plan also brings an increased focus on attracting newcomers to different regions of the country, including small towns and rural communities.

How does this impact Ontario’s business?

Analysis of FPSC’s program – Succeeding at Work (SAW)

CONNECT Jobseeker Stream indicated 90% were New Canadians made up of Landed Immigrants or Permanent Residents 72% and 18% were Non-permanent resident (work/ study permit; refugee claimant). There is

opportunity for employers to attract New Canadians and immigrants to fill workforce needs and to meet production demands. We have a diverse industry with a large immigrant workforce, 31% to be exact, compared to only 23% of the overall labour force in Canada. The highest proportion of immigrants are working in Meat Product Manufacturing (43%).

Why Aren’t More Newcomer Candidates Getting

Hired?

Employer Concerns

With an increasing immigrant workforce, meat employers’ challenge is ensuring non-English speaking workers fully

comprehend their job requirements, safety information, and changes to protocols. This is especially prevalent in Ontario, home to the largest number of sector businesses with 2,530 (35%) and a destination for immigrants and New Canadians.

Fear Factor?

FPSC’s Labour Market Information survey shows that of the 269 food and beverage manufacturing companies surveyed, the following training tools used in the workplace: On-the-job training (90%), In-house team members who provide training (84%), Manuals/ Handouts/ or Quizzes (58%), and Group talks (53%). On-the-job training in the food industry when working with immigrants and New Canadians with limited or no English falls into the known practice of job-shadowing. Not only is “job-shadowing” inconsistent and inefficient, but it also lacks scalability and is dangerous in terms of food and worker safety. Being shown “what” to do and not explaining the “why” or risks involved leaves immigrant employees in a knowledge vacuum. Many rural Ontario businesses are mono-cultured and employers inexperienced in how to support those with language and cultural needs. Employers need support. How do we achieve this. EDUCATION.

Why is This Important?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that language barriers contribute to 25% of job-related accidents. Testing scores attributed to food handling behaviour and food safety knowledge were improved dramatically when education and workplace information was provided in the employees’ first language. FPSC has developed 10 essential food and workplace safety courses in 6 Languages. Tagalog, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. Punjabi is under development and three new languages will be available in 2023. Courses employers asked for: GMP’s, Sanitation & Allergen’s, SOP’s, LOTO, Digital Literacy and more. Courses, resources, and learning supports for employees and employers. EDUCATION is very highly valued in cultural settings and word of mouth attracting employment applications from community members increases.

The answer is in the data. Education. Training is the HOW…EDUCATION is the WHY. The how will change continuously. The foundation of WHY will always remain. The strength of the food and beverage industry lies within its people. By improving the delivery of skills education, we strengthen systems and efficiency positively impacting employers with increased productivity and capacity. Post training surveys collected valuable data from employers who observed increased skills awareness by project participants. Employers discovered that continuous learning is possible with no loss in production and no downtime as workers participated on their own time.

Education is Key. Frontline workers, facing a very uncertain time with changes happening daily, felt more confident and secure in their jobs because their “employer made these opportunities available to them”.

98% of Succeeding at Work employees used what they learned on the job.

Translated courses delivered in first language and English increased workplace safety, language literacy and has become a beacon for recruitment in a large segment of our new demographic.

Supervisor Development. We live in an industry where most supervisors were promoted for a variety of reasons. Very few received additional education in how to lead a workforce.

Nearly 50% of managers with over ten years of experience claim they’ve only received about nine total hours of training.

Leadership is one of the most in-demand workplace skills. Employees who have received leadership training also have better teamwork skills and are more prepared to progress to higher positions. Not only does training help prepare junior staff for the future, but it also ensures tenured managers are actively working to enhance their leadership skills.

In conclusion, the skills gap in our industry has proven adverse effects on industry productivity, recruitment, employee retention, participation, workplace safety, work-related outcomes – and ultimately, profitability. Education is something ALL employers or any size and income level, can be engaged in. Whether it is new MPO programming, funded programs through FPSC, nearby colleges or creating your own proprietary program. Your support is here.

to Employees for Less

By John Trainor, Growth Architec, EIO Solutions

Every employer wishes they could give their employees the world—better pay, better benefits, more vacation, diverse career training—but as long as money doesn’t grow on trees, we have to be selective when investing in our people.

It’s a game of trade-offs:

• Comprehensive drug & dental, or flex dollars for yoga and vitamins?

• Career coaching, or retirement planning?

• Vacation days, or year-end bonuses?

Choosing where to invest is tough in every business; it’s tougher if you employ a diverse team with varying needs and interests; it’s toughest if budgets are tight. There are so many options, and dozens of studies claim one benefit is more important than others! Do we need in-office counselors to mitigate burnout? Would better chairs and desks improve performance? Do office parties still boost morale?

Even just narrowing down a list is overwhelming! Where do we start!?

Choosing Investments: Where Does Perceived Value Exceed the Actual Cost?

We invest in employees to make them feel valued. The best way to do that is not to give them more cash. The perceived value of a one-dollar raise is just that: one dollar. We can do better.

Think of a wellfound gift you gave a loved one—one they didn’t even know they wanted, but their eyes lit up when they saw it. Now imagine you gave them a cheque for $100 instead. They won’t complain about the cash—but it isn’t memorable. They won’t tell their friends about it. They probably won’t even think of you when they spend it.

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Everything you give your people is an opportunity to inspire gratitude and earn loyalty. You can’t invest just to check a box— you want that “oh wow” reaction. You want employees to feel valued and believe you care about their wellbeing.

So, where do we start?

Find Free Perks for Employees

Sometimes, there are free lunches.

Simple policy changes—that don’t cost your business anything— can provide tremendous, tangible value to employees. If it’s an option for you, remote work—or hybrid work—is the most talked about at the moment, and if you’re still on the fence about, here are some numbers to back it up:

• 77% of hybrid employees report reduction in stress

• Over 50% report an increase in productivity

• 61% save four hours per day in commuting time

• On average, they save $11,000 in gas, transit, and food

Just look at that last point: you can effectively give your employees an $11,000 raise by simply allowing them to work from home part time—without actually spending an extra dime. When you add in the improvements to their overall wellbeing, hybrid work becomes a no-brainer! It costs you nothing, and immediately gives you a big edge over competitors when competing for talent.

Hybrid work is just one example of a free perk. Flexible work schedules, dog-friendly offices, and more open and collaborative office layouts are also worth looking into—depending on the type of workplace you operate. Even if they’re small, every employee-centered change can add a lot to overall quality of life.

Consider Alternatives for Traditional Benefits

Many of the most-expensive employee benefits have lost their lustre—health & dental plans first among them. Every employer needs to offer some form of health benefits, but based on the ever-rising cost of insurance, it’s rare for a benefits plan to offer enough coverage to outshine a competitor—especially for smaller businesses. Insead: it’s common to hear more complaints about coverage than thanks.

It’s hard to wrap your head around: you pay tens of thousands of dollars every year—with the price increasing up to twenty percent annually—and no one is happy! Employees may actually feel undervalued if coverage doesn’t extend to the things they truly want, whether that’s preventative treatments, mental health services, or elective drugs or procedures. Poor plans might be a reason they leave if they’re co-paying for coverage they can’t even use.

When something costs that much and is appreciated that little, it’s time to start asking if it’s worth the investment at all. If that’s the case for you, look into more efficient health benefit models; consider health spending accounts, or a hybrid of fully-

THE FINEST BUTCHERS BEGIN WITH THE FINEST MEATS

AWARDS GALA HIGHLIGHTS

On October 15, Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) held our 2022 Red Carpet Awards Gala in Niagara Falls.

This event recognizes processors that produce award-winning, artisanal meats for Ontarians, and honours the families of people that make up the association and their commitment to our industry. The night concluded with the crowning of Ontario’s Finest Butcher, in the ninth year of this annual competition.

MPO honoured Harriston Packing Company Ltd., Oakville's Finest Butchery, Poly-Clip System and Stayner Meat Packers Ltd. as they received their 10-year membership plaques. Conestoga Meats was presented with their 25-year membership recognition and Gord's Abattoir Ltd. was honoured for 40 years of loyal MPO membership.

The Associate Member Recognition Award (AMRA) is given to an associate member company that, judged by the membership, is deserving of recognition for their contribution to the association and to the industry. This year Farm Credit Canada (FCC) was honored with this distinction, and accepting the award on behalf of FCC was Graham Smyth.

Newly introduced this year was the Public Service Recognition Award in honour of Pat Johnson. This award celebrates the partnership and collaboration MPO has with local, provincial, and federal governments. First time recipients Kelly McAslan and Natasha Bartlett of OMAFRA took home this honour. Forty-six awards were presented in the 2022 Ontario Finest Meat Competition™ across 14 categories with placings for Silver, Gold, and Platinum in each. The Ron Usborne Award of Excellence was presented to VG Meats, Simcoe for the most points accumulated in the competition. The Diamond Award was presented to Speducci Mercatto, Toronto for producing the item with the top score across all products Bresaola Wagyu

In

In photo L to R: Natasha Barlett, OMAFRA,Kelly McAslan, OMAFRA, Pat Johnson PSR Award Recipients, Doug Johnson

photo L to R: Ron Usborne Award of Excellence Recipients, Kyle Van Groningen and Cory Van Groningen, VG Meats.

insured and self-insured plans—especially if you run a small- or medium-sized business. In most cases, you can offer employees more coverage with fewer limits while also minimizing rate increases going forward!

Prioritize Proactive Solutions

Prevent fires, or put them out: it’s a choice we face every day. We intuitively know prevention is better, but it can be hard to find motivation for it without a clear sense of urgency. When it comes to HR and employee investments: few things are ever clear, but, if we look closely, we can quantify what’s at stake.

Did you know: losing one employee, then hiring and training a replacement costs the average business about four months’ salary? That means, for an employee making $60,000, you stand to lose $20,000 if they leave. Knowing this, we should be willing to invest $20,000 to encourage them to stay! The money’s the same, but this way: someone actually benefits from the investment, and we retain institutional knowledge, prevent overworked colleagues, and preserve culture.

These examples pop up all over a business:

• Invest in safety training, PPE, and supervisors; or pay for time off due to injuries

• Invest in government compliance; or pay fines

• Invest in proper documentation; or pay for contract disputes

In every case: the amount of money you spend on your employees remains the same, but proactivity creates better working conditions.

When this attitude is adopted across an entire organization, you can build a workplace fit for Top 100 lists—without actually spending an extra dollar.

Getting Started with Investment Optimization

Theory is great; what about action?

If you’re looking for high-value, low-cost perks or organizational changes, the best places to start are:

• Talking to employees about what they value most, what they take issue with, and what doesn’t move the needle

• Identifying the biggest employee cost-centres for your business

Understanding your biggest issues and opportunities will help you find quick wins, but don’t overthink it. You don’t need a silver bullet; you need a starting point. Once you get in the habit of optimizing employee investments, one thing will feed into another, and you’ll find yourself in a cycle of positive change.

To help kick-start that cycle, all Meat & Poultry of Ontario members have access to a complimentary discovery call with an investment optimization expert from EIO Solutions, plus discounted pricing on their hands-on HR support programs.

To learn more and book your own discovery call, simply email mpo@eiosolutions.com

Cooked, Cured or Raw. Cooked, Cured or Raw.

Whatever your finished product, our new processing and packaging equipment ranges will help you to get it from concept to consumer.

Whether you’re cutting, grinding, mixing, injecting, tumbling, or stuffing, our processing equipment range has all the models you’ll need.

And if you’re portioning or slicing, our new compact models are designed especially for start-up and scale-up meat and poultry companies across Canada.

Retail ready? Pack it on one of our new traysealer models or one of our thermoformers. After all, packaging is what we’re known for.

Isn’t it time we introduced you to the rest of what we do?

Skills Development Fund (SDF) Open Intake

Additional $90M to Address Labour Market Shortage

By

Atotal of 388 approved training projects were supported by the Skills Development Fund (SDF) in its previous two funding rounds, assisting more than 393,000 people in finding careers in competitive industries. Specifically addressing the current labour market shortage, where over 370,000 jobs are unfilled across Ontario, the SDF has now opened for a third round of funding with an additional $90 million investment.

Eligible non-profit and for-profit businesses can now apply to receive funding for workforce development projects from the third round of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) which has an open intake from September 29, 2022, to January 31, 2023.

– Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills

Through the SDF, organisations are supported to develop innovative training programs to address job shortages in Ontario following the COVID-19 pandemic. SDF hopes to prioritize projects that help newcomers from Ukraine, people with disabilities, people returning from prison, at-risk youth, Indigenous peoples, and others who face difficulties finding suitable employment.

About The Skills Development Fund (SDF) Open Intake

An additional $90 million has been invested by the Ontario government in this third round of funding, bringing the total to over $560 million invested to Canadian businesses for innovative workplace development projects via the Skills Development Fund (SDF).

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) seeks to invest in projects that will:

• Increase employment in key sectors of the Ontario economy and address labour shortages;

• By developing a resilient and sustainable workforce, Ontario can increase its long-term economic competitiveness;

• Assist those having difficulty finding employment, such as people with disabilities, new Ukrainian immigrants, and people leaving the criminal justice system.

Alena Barreca, Mentor Works

“As we continue to combat the largest labour shortage in a generation, there are tens of thousands of people who need a hand up. I am calling on Ontario’s employers to help us deliver programs that lift people up and give them the tools they need to earn bigger paycheques and lead purpose-driven lives.”

Development

Polytarp Continues to Expand in the Food Packaging Market

Polytarp Products is excited to announce their latest purchase from Bandera USA, a 4 Million Dollar, 3layer wide high production extrusion line. Polytarp recognizes the growing trend for wider films and bags for the Food, Agriculture and Construction markets using the latest innovations in production and polymer technology. Polytarp will be able to produce larger and more durable lay flat combo liners used for leak resistant applications most notably in the food packaging industry . In addition, Polytarp will have more film options to support their customers as the new extruder will produce significantly wider sheeting and gusseted film products. Installation start up is scheduled in the first quarter of 2023.

Polytarp Products is an international supplier of quality plastic film products since 1957. They supply flexible film products to more than 2000 clients across North America. Among the company’s advantages is their ability to internally develop and customize products to meet specific customer packaging requirements, including different sizes, colors, thicknesses, barrier properties and strength providing superior quality only using the best polymers in the marketplace today. The new Bandera Extruder is the latest addition to Polytarp’s state of the art extrusion facility in Toronto, Ontario producing single and multilayer sheeting, tubing and bags and equipped to convert, print, laminate and slit film on site. Our success has been a result of our close collaboration with our customers and suppliers. Current product lines have been developed by meeting your needs. Let us show you how we can fulfill your unique demands. We would be pleased to provide more information about us or any of our existing products upon your request.

Funding Amount:

SDF projects do not have to meet any minimum or maximum funding criteria to be considered eligible. However, it is worth noting that:

• Large capital projects with budgets over $150,000 will be prioritized in a dedicated stream; and

• When applying for the SDF, applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding sources for their project expenses.

Eligible Applicants:

The following businesses are eligible to apply to the Skills Development Fund (SDF):

• Ontario-based employers;

• Professional, industry, employer, or sector associations that are for profit;

• Including Indigenous Band Offices and Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Agreement holders with a physical presence in Ontario;

• Co-applicants for apprenticeship training (other than those listed below);

• Organizations affiliated with unions;

• Consolidated Municipal Service Managers, municipalities, and district social services administration boards; and

• Private career colleges registered under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005 and/or public colleges, universities or Indigenous Institutes in Ontario are eligible to apply as coapplicants.

Eligible Projects:

Projects applying for Skills Development Funds (SDFs) must demonstrate:

• Provide employment assistance to workers and job seekers facing higher barriers to entry;

• Develop innovative training solutions and encourage partnerships across the economy to address the labour shortage; and

• Support access to the labor market in order to create a resilient workforce.

Eligible Expenses

In addition to the above eligible projects, eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to:

• Costs associated with staffing, training, marketing, and mental health;

• Training and employment services via the Internet;

• Support for apprenticeship training (virtual, in-class, equipment) and on-the-job training;

• Innovating new approaches to training (such as e-learning delivery, online assessments, virtual simulations, or other alternatives to block release);

• Costs associated with the delivery of services, such as new training equipment, vehicles, or mobile units;

• Provide job seekers and apprentices with wraparound support; and

• Consumables and materials used by participants in delivering the project.

Apply for Skills Development Fund (SDF) Project Funding

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Please consider applying for SDF support early on as funds are limited to first-come, first-serve. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis during the intake period.

Non-profit and for-profit business interested in applying for Skills Development Fund (SDF) government funding can submit an application from September 29, 2022, to January 31, 2023.

Need help? Our Mentor Works team of professional government application writers can help determine the likelihood a project will be eligible for funding and assist your business with the application process.

DIAMOND PLATINUM GOLD SILVER

Doug Easterbrook

Named Ontario’s Finest Butcher Simcoe Butcher Brings Home the Black Jacket

Doug Easterbrook of Townsend Butchers, Simcoe took home the title of Ontario’s Finest Butcher (OFBC) in a competition hosted by Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) in October. Easterbrook is a 4-time veteran to the competition who also competed at the World Butcher Challenge as part of team Canada earlier this year. He battled his way through 14 of Ontario’s best butchers in the elimination round held on September 12 and was one of 3 finalists who moved on to the final round held October 14 at the Meat Industry Expo in Niagara Falls.

“It’s great to be a part of such a great competition. It gets you out of your comfort zone and puts your skills and experience to the test.” said winner, Doug Easterbrook. “It’s a fast 30 minutes, you have to be focused and prepared going into it.”

The theme for this year’s final ‘black box’ round was ‘Bougie Bites’ and Easterbrook, along with fellow finalists, had 30 minutes to transform 2 whole chickens, a pork loin and beef shoulder clod into several upscale, display-

ready items. The finalists were judged on their level of skill, creativity and consumer-appeal. The four judges’ combined scores determined it was Easterbrook who would take home the title.

Judges: Peter Baarda, Troy Spicer, Damian Goriup, John Baker & Stephen Seher

Doug Easterbrook and his winning trays.

“Meat cutting is a lost art, and our industry has a constant need for skilled Butchers in Ontario.” says Franco Naccarato, Executive Director of MPO. “We are excited to see this competition grow year over year, showcasing the amazing talent of butchers from across the province.”

“Over the years of being involved with this competition it has opened up many opportunities and built great relationships with some true professionals within the industry.” said Easterbrook.

In addition to donning the official champion’s black jacket, Easterbrook took home a prize package valued at over $3000 including a Minimax Big Green Egg™ Ultimate Kit, eno La Plancha Grill, Victorinox Butcher Knife set from YesGroup, a YETI gift package, and cutting board resurfacing services from Ecoboard.

In case you missed it, this year’s competition footage can be watched on our YouTube channel @OntMeatPoultry.

Pork and Vegetable Stovetop Stew

Sweet potatoes and parsnips add a touch of sweetness to this easy stew. Pork tenderloin insures quick cooking; it needs just enough time to cook the vegetables until tender. Serve with crusty bread or over noodles or rice.

Pork

and Vegetable Stovetop Stew

Preparation Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine flour, thyme, salt, rosemary and pepper; toss pork in mixture. In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat. Add pork and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove to plate.

Add remaining oil to pan. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until lightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to boil. Add sweet potato, parsnips and pork; cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pork and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

TIP: Cubed Ontario squash can be used in place of sweet potato.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 servings.

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme leaves

• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each rosemary and pepper, dried and crumbled

• 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil

• 1 Ontario Pork Tenderloin, about 12 oz, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 Ontario Onion, chopped

• 2 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced

• 2 cups (500 mL) sodium-reduced chicken broth

• 1 medium Ontario Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed (1/2-inch)

• 2 Ontario Parsnips, peeled and chopped

• 2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh Ontario Parsley, chopped

The Village Grocer

Feeding the Community for 35 Years

By Karen Sample and Janet Morley

Quality and Community

Founded in 1986 by Evan and Cathy MacDonald, The Village Grocer has been a fixture in the Markham community as a purveyor of quality foods for almost 35 years. It has been in its present location at 16th Avenue in the Unionville neighbourhood of Markham for about 11 years. Originally started as a small butcher shop, with six employees, the company has evolved into a multi-department food retailer with approximately 140 employees, including eight full-time butchers.

Today, The Village Grocer incorporates many of the departments found in large chain stores and a few that are unique. While the meat department is still central to the business, the company boasts an in-house bakery, a produce department, a café, a floral department, a deli, sushi bar and a garden centre. Additionally, catering is offered for events of all sizes from small, intimate lunches or dinners to weddings. There are event rooms available for rent above the store, cooking classes are offered, and a pizza department where customers can find ready-to-eat or par-baked pizzas to enjoy.

As if that weren’t a well-rounded enough line up, The Village Creamery makes ice cream on site with locally sourced cream. The flavour list is exceptional, including Apple Crisp, Buttertart and Persimmon along with many other interesting combinations as well as the standard favourites of vanilla and chocolate and seasonal offerings like Candy Cane, Eggnog and Pumpkin Pie.

Thomas MacDonald, son of Evan and Cathy joined the familyrun business after realizing that he wasn’t enthralled with the career path he had chosen. His heart was in the family business, serving and building the Markham community. MacDonald says he couldn’t see himself working in finance, so he decided to give the family business a year and never left. Today he is involved fully, making almost daily buying trips to the Ontario Food Terminal at 3 am to get the best quality produce,

writing the store’s newsletter, cooking in the store’s kitchen, and embracing all aspects of the hands on, customer service-oriented business his parents built.

Customers and quality have always come first at The Village Grocer with the two chasing each other amicably. With a focus on old-fashioned quality products and customer service, word-ofmouth attracts new customers with a broad product assortment and consistent focus on quality to keep them coming back. And it’s not just giving good service and sticking to Old World butchery practices, it’s creative thinking, always moving forward with new products whether carefully thought out or the product of circumstances. MacDonald recalls the story of how The Village Grocer came to be known for their flank steak. At the time, the store didn’t really sell them, but a customer had requested flank steak, so they brought some in and were left wondering what to do with the rest of them. “Nobody would come to our store for flank steaks, so we made a marinade from my grandmother’s recipe, trimmed them up and they sold ‘like that’,” recalls MacDonald. Today the store literally brings in flank steaks by the skid as they are one of their most popular cuts.

The commercial channel of the business has a product line called The Village Kitchen which supplies about 35 stores with handmade goods from frozen entrees to baked goods and meat products. Everything is still made from scratch right down to squeezing lemon juice from fresh lemons instead of buying bulk lemon juice for their lemon meringue pies. Recipes are based on those that Cathy MacDonald and her mother Doreen Parker used when they ran a separate catering business as Evan got The Village Grocer on its feet.

Brad Fletcher, President of The Village Grocer believes that the organic growth the business has seen over the last 35 years is due to a constant, unwavering focus on high-quality products and in building clientele by giving back to the community through both generous donations and support of Markham Stouffville Hospital and other organizations and through connection with their clientele through their weekly newsletter. Thomas MacDonald says that between his visits to the Food Terminal and all his other regular store duties, he takes time to write as personally as possible and it pays off by building dialogue with customers.

Labour and Other Challenges Facing the Meat Industry in 2022 and Beyond

It is not always as easy as good customer service and quality products though. There are challenges, especially in the butchery part of the business where there is a shortage of skilled labour coming up through the ranks, and government regulations become

Village Grocer meat plant employee tends to some smokehouse products.

Brad Fletcher (left) and Thomas MacDonald (right).

ever more stringent without supportive backing to help small businesses keep up.

Fletcher says there are three fundamental challenges that Village Grocer and most smaller butcher shops are facing today. The first of these issues is the labour shortage and labour succession difficulties that face many industries who employ skilled trades workers. Part of this Fletcher puts down to the appeal of tech jobs to young careeroriented people. Another factor he feels is important, is that Canada is lagging when it comes to promoting and facilitating training for the butcher trade itself.

The company is trying to find creative ways of locating employees to fill positions domestically, and even internationally, but the solution is not clear at this point. Fletcher says, “There is a fundamental challenge facing the meat trade currently. There are plenty of people that you can put behind the counter in a service role, however a true butcher counter needs a balance of service and skilled labour to operate successfully. Core knowledge, customized trimming at the counter for customers, operational skills and business management are diminishing with little succession in sight”.

“We need entry level opportunities in Canada where young people can go to learn about the trade, build career interest, find externship opportunities with an appetite to learn more from a master butcher or educational institution to build a life-long career. At present, we don’t have a lot of meat processing options for education development.” To get a productive educational program reignited, Fletcher believes that provincial and federal governments must better engage with educational facilities like Fanshawe and George Brown College that have a well-known reputation in the culinary arts.

The second fundamental challenge facing the industry, Fletcher believes, is the pricing disparity that’s starting to occur. “Beef is getting exorbitantly expensive, and I think right now we’re at the point where we’re turning off consumers who we see seeking out other protein options as supplements. If we don’t address this before long, we may turn a lot of people into non-beef eaters. Alarm bells should be sounding with suppliers because there are huge declines in the purchases of beef right now. We’ve seen this everyday in our store for a number of months.”

The disconnect between expectations of government and realities of the small-time butcher is what Fletcher sees as the third fundamental challenge. He sees O.M.A.F.R.A. coming in with highly educated inspectors with advanced degrees in food science and endless resources that do not match with current skill sets in the plants. While increased food safety is in everyone’s best interests, there needs to be alignment between expectations and abilities and more support to manage when changes are required. “Small independent butchers are not able to keep pace with the new science. The disparity is driving experienced butchers into retirement. With declining patience, and few succession options, we are all faced with a serious dilemma.”

To find this alignment, Fletcher believes that mutual education is required to avoid the demise of small-time butchers’ country wide, “The smaller meat counters and specialty meat processors are not going to be around much longer at this rate. The corner butcher and processor will eventually give way to the mass producers where they have the luxury of a laboratory and full-time food science staff. It’s all going to end up in their hands and that’s unfortunate, because the fabric of the country is built on the back of the entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

In Fletcher’s eyes, the future for smaller independent butchers is not going to be bright unless the government refrains from pulling back resources and invests in initiatives to find ways to help smaller butchers meet ever-increasing government standards instead of blindly raising standards that only larger plants have the resources to fully address.

Future Expansion

Despite the challenges presented by the current economic situation and difficulty with recruiting appropriate candidates for senior positions opening due to attrition, The Village Grocer has outgrown its current location. MacDonald and Fletcher are looking to a brighter and bigger future for The Village Grocer with plans to expand The Village Kitchen side of the business with a second location. The new production only location will open by spring 2023 to meet growing demand and to broaden their commercial channel with an increased product assortment.

With over 65 years of experience, Master Butcher John Plesac trims liver for customers.

The growth of The Village Grocer, both recent and over the years comes back to the strong relationship with the community – a family business giving back to the community drives customer loyalty which enables the company to further support the community which enables the business to grow.

When Fletcher first stepped on the scene five years ago, he questioned the amount of support going into the community from a fiscal perspective. He says, “I sort of had my hand slapped,” and was told, “No, that’s what we do here.” Five years later he understands its all about building and connecting with customers and the community at large. “Whether it’s been through the hospital, multiple community-based charities, schools, or sporting leagues, The Village Grocer has long been involved with the community.” It has really resulted in a mutual respect that has created loyal and consistent customers but also a sensitivity and awareness to customers needs on our behalf.”

In fact, the customer bond that The Village Grocer builds with their clientele is so strong that they find customers who have moved out of the area will make the trip to come back to shop at their favourite store. MacDonald tells the story of a couple that moved to Niagara on the Lake who told him they’d be back occasionally. He saw them in the store one weekend and figured they were stocking up to get them through a few weeks until it was convenient to return. It turns out the couple makes the drive from Niagara to The Village Grocer every weekend to do their shopping. MacDonald says, “I don’t think there’s a bigger compliment.”

Brad Fletcher

4476 Sixteenth Avenue Unionville, ON L3R 0M1 www.thevillagegrocer.com/ villagekitchen@rogers.com (905) 940-0655

Kungfu Butchers

Offers Self-Defense Against Labour Shortage

By Karen Sample and Janet Morley

Jay Chen, General Director of KungfuButchers came to Canada from China to study entrepreneurship at Bishop’s University. After graduating, he went to work for a company in the immigration sector, but it did not take long him to recognize an opportunity and start his own business.

Chen researched the Agri-Food Pilot Program and found that there was a huge demand for butchers and a very open immigration policy. KungfuButchers was founded one and a half years ago to help bridge the gap between employers in need of reliable, trained talent and workers in China looking to emigrate to Canada.

Before launching KungfuButchers, Chen spoke to employers about how he could best assist them. Topping the list was the need to find workers that are qualified for the job and trained to Canadian standards.

By working with Fujian Foreign Affairs & Enterprise Service Center, a state-owned labour recruitment and training center in Fuzhou, China, and Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC), Chen recruits and trains Chinese citizens looking to emigrate to Canada. Training for candidates is completed in China and consists of approximately three months learning knife skills, English and completing FPSC’s Meat Cutting 101 course. Candidates must pass an exam organized by FPSC before they can come to Canada.

The second important point Chen learned when he talked to businesses needing workers is that the paperwork that comes along with hiring foreign workers is both time consuming and overwhelming. KungfuButchers takes care of all the bureaucratic headaches with the assistance of immigration lawyers.

The third item on the list of needs of employers was a solution to employee retention issues. To ensure KungfuButchers doesn’t add to the revolving door of hiring that so many employers experience, KungfuButchers’ recruits voluntarily commit to working for the employer that brings them to Canada for a minimum of two years.

Who are the candidates?

Chen says most workers who want to emigrate to Canada are 25 to 40, married with children. Some of his current candidates in

training hold Master’s degrees or have owned and run a small business in China. Chen says they are highly motivated and fully committed to working for a minimum of two years as butchers because they believe Canada offers a better future for their children.

How does it work?

KungfuButchers initially conducts an interview to determine the company’s specific needs, then does the required calculations to determine how many foreign workers the company is eligible to hire. The detailed calculations done by KungfuButchers yield an exact number for each individual employer. Next, the application for the Labour Market Imact Assessment (LMIA) in Canada and the recruitment process in China start simultaneously.

Once LMIA is obtained, typically taking two to three months to be granted, the workers are trained in butchering as well as English. Workers must reach the government-required English proficiency to apply for their Canadian work permits.

Currently, the entire process from initial contact with KungfuButchers to welcoming new employees into a business in Canada takes about six months. Although that may seem a long time between posting a job and hiring, Chen says it’s a positive trade off when an employer considers that they are getting a twoyear commitment during a time when many employees often may not stay even half that duration.

“They want to get to their goal. They are willing to commit to hard work to see their dreams through.”

The final part of KungfuButchers’ role is to help workers arrive and settle into their new jobs and new homes. KungfuButchers monitors and checks on recruits once they are here and working, to ensure success for both the employee and the employer.

Shortening the process

Chen says after an employer has been through the process the first time, subsequent timeframes for hires are shorter by two to three months due to the employer already having qualified for LMIA. Immigration and Citizenship Canada is also working to get their approval process down to pre-pandemic rates of six to eight weeks from the current three to four months.

Chen also hopes that eventually the requirement for LMIA may be reconsidered. “There is no need to prove there are shortages in the meat industry when 90% of butcheries are already suffering from it.”

To tighten timeframes up even more, KungfuButchers is building a pipeline where workers in China will be continuously recruited so that all paperwork and training are being prepared simultaneously.

Legal details

KungfuButchers works with two immigration lawyers and one paralegal to ease the legal burden on employers. Chen says this is a major benefit to their clients, “especially smaller shops don’t have the resources to hire a lawyer and to go through the whole process. It’s a headache and they have no idea what LMIA is. Essentially the idea of LMIA is to prove that the foreign worker that you plan to bring in isn’t going to impact the local job market.”

What to expect – why work with KungfuButchers?

Employers that work with KungfuButchers get an all-inclusive package. On behalf of the employers, KungfuButchers books flights, finds appropriate housing for workers and helps settle them in, from picking them up at the airport to making sure they have all the documents they will need to start their new life in Canada including banking, OHIP cards and a phone. The company does all it can to make it easy for a new employee in a new country and if the employer requests any further assistance with training and translation, they will do that too.

Chen says, “If an employer calls to say they don’t think a particular employee understands how to do their job correctly, I’m on my way there to fix the problem.”

Helping people on both sides of the employment situation is Chen’s passion. He measures wealth differently than most. “My total wealth is equal to the number of people I helped multiplied by how much I have helped them,” he says.

Why hire overseas workers?

Chen says that hiring in Canada and raising wages can mean ‘poaching’ employees from other businesses. Rather than exacerbating the difficulty of retaining employees long term, Chen believes, “we need to inject fresh blood into the industry.”

Cost

Chen has created an incentive package by waving his personal fees for the first five people an MPO member employer hires through KungfuButchers.

After that, starting with the sixth hire, the fee will be 5% of their annual salary for the two years. Lawyers’ fees for work permit applications are charged to the workers. Legally, the employer must pay LMIA application fees, but Chen hopes to see a change in the future as the fees are already waived in some sectors. An employer can expect to pay approximately $4000 per employee to cover LMIA, flights, and commission.

Looking to the future – building trust and expanding Chen has his sights set high. “I want to build this business to really help in this industry in the long term,” he says. Eventually he’d like to expand to helping other industries as well and knows that can happen only when his company builds trust over time by demonstrating their reliability through serving their clients well.

Sherry Aziz of Amir Quality Meats Inc. understands the challenges of hiring skilled workers. She says, “It is almost impossible to recruit skilled workers who are committed to our positions because

many people don’t want to partake in this career path. We also face challenges with high turnover rates.” Struggling with hiring, Sherry found Chen and KungfuButchers through MPO’s BlockTalk and started working them in February of 2022.

“Jay provides a comprehensive solution to the labour shortage situation. The workers are committed to our organization long term. In return, we are able to provide and fulfill their immigration needs through the LMIA process. On top of that, KungfuButchers takes care of all the legal paperwork, employee arrivals and housing. It is a seamless and effortless process.”

When asked what she might say to someone else thinking of hiring KungfuButchers, Aziz responded, “Just go for it. We thought it was too good to be true, but KungfuButchers delivered.”

At current capacity, KungfuButchers can recruit 200 workers per year. Chen stresses that at this point he can supply employees with entry level butcher skills. If you are a business with positions you are looking to fill, reach out today: kungfubutchers.ca.

Jay Chen General Director jay.chen@uadvisor.ca (514) 641-1919 www.kungfubutchers.ca

RESPECT THE CHOP.

CANADIAN BEEF VALUE CUTS TO BOOST SALES

Investing in Today’s Workforce

By Laurie Nicol, CareersNOW!, Meat & Poultry Liason

Employers are experiencing one of the most challenging times in respect to labour supply. It is estimated that by 2025 there will be an employment gap of about 25,000 workers. Keeping employees engaged, productive, and connected has never been more important—or more difficult. But when companies get it right, it’s a lot easier to find and keep talent.

Meat and Poultry Ontario is a proud project partner with Food and Beverage Ontario’s CareersNOW! initiative. Well into our second year CareersNOW! is supporting both employers and job seekers by providing free access to training, funding for WIL placements, hosting job fairs, providing coaching, and increasing visibility to Ontario’s processor companies.

To stay competitive, companies must rethink their strategies for recruitment, engagement, and retention. Gone are the days that employers can have the attitude that workers are lucky to have a job. In many cases the prospective employee is looking at multiple job offers while interviewing with your company. We know that acquiring new talent is costly and that many companies continue to experience high employee turnover rates. That is why a well thought out onboarding process is essential for both the employees and the companies to thrive.

Free HR Coaching

Remember! Your employees are your organization’s greatest asset. Make a great first impression by creating a memorable, empowering, and rewarding onboarding experience. When done properly, the process of onboarding can single-handedly help the employees settle into their new environment. CareersNOW! offers a FREE one-hour session with our hiring coach, helping you with your onboarding process, best practices for new hire training initiatives, and employee retention strategies. Sign up for your free session today!

FREE VIRTUAL JOB FAIRS

With fierce competition for workers in every sector, particapting in a job fair is an excellent way to tell prospective employees why they should come work for your company. CareersNOW! FREE virtual job fairs provide an opportunity to connect with

potential new hires without leaving the plant. Jobseekers can visit your booth, connect directly with you via text or video, apply to your current openings, and schedule plant tours or a subsequent interview.

Free Job Ready Skills Training

Investing in training for new hires or upskilling existing workers, take advantage of the FREE job ready skills training offered through, Food Processing Skills Canada. You can register for one or all 14 courses with a certificate issued after successful completion of each module. CareersNOW! offers employers with access to on-line training modules that are typically 2 hours in length and cover such topics as:

• Food Safety Culture and You

• Introduction to SOPs and SSOPs

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)

• Sanitation: Level One

• Allergens: Level One

• Workplace and Industrial Safety

• Lock Out & Tag Out

• Canadian Workplace Cultures

• Employer Employee Expectations

• Workplace Essentials: Oral Communications

• Introduction to Emotional Intelligence

• Workplace Essentials: Thinking Skills

• Workplace Essentials: Working with Others

GET STARTED TODAY by establishing a company profile on Carreersnow.ca. Through this portal, a platform powered by Magnet, you can post current job openings, connect with jobseekers from across the province, post opportunities for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) such as student coop semesters or internships, access funding to bring new talent to your organization and connect with future leaders. Employers can also access up to $7,500 in wage subsidies per student term.

For more information on the CareersNOW! program visit https://careersnow.ca or contact:

Laurie Nicol workforce@meatpoultryon.ca or Isabel Dopta idopta@foodandbeverageontario.ca.

@tasteyourfuture

@tasteyourfuture/?hl=en

@showcase/taste-your-future

The biennial meat competition is the largest of its kind in Canada with product categories that embrace both modern trends and the enduring heritage of Ontario’s artisanal meat and poultry products. Open exclusively to Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) members and encompassing 115 entries from 15 Ontario processors. In late July, an impressive roster of knowledgeable, influential judges including retail buyers, media, chefs, authors and a foodies determined the award winners across 14 categories. See our behind-the-scenes video from judging day on our YouTube Channel @OntMeatPoultry

The Ron Usborne Award of Excellence was presented to VG Meats, Simcoe for the most points accumulated in the competition (previously winning in 2017, 2011, 2009) VG’s took home thirteen awards in addition to the Ron Usborne - four in platinum, three gold, and six silver "We are extremely honoured to receive these awards A lot of hard work goes into producing these products which includes great efforts by our farmers, staff and supporting businesses hats off to them.” says Kyle Van Groningen of VG Meats.

For the second time, the Diamond Award was presented to Speducci Mercatto, Toronto for producing the item with the top score across all products, Bresaola Wagyu.

Bresaola Wagyu

Award Winning Products 2 0 2 2

Sausages - Fresh Other

• Platinum - L'Original Packing Ltd, The Mysterious Sausage

• Gold - J & G Quality Meats Ltd., Shepard's Pie Lamb Sausage

• Silver - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Wild Boar Breakfast Sausage

Sausages - Fresh Pork

• Platinum - VG Meats, Spicy Mexican Pork Sausage

• Gold - Finest Sausage and Meat, Cheddar Bacon

• Silver - Halenda's Fine Foods, Honey & Garlic Fresh Pork Sausage

Bacon - Back

• Platinum - VG Meats, Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Back Bacon

• Gold - VG Meats, Smoked Back Bacon

• Silver - Sikorski Sausages Co. Ltd., Single Smoked Loin

Bacon – Traditional Side

• Platinum - Halenda's Fine Foods, Ukrainian Style Bacon

• Gold - VG Meats, Thick Cut Pork Side Bacon

• Silver - Metzger Meat Products, Traditional Bacon

Beef/Veal Whole Muscle Deli

• Platinum - VG Meats, Beef Pastrami

• Gold - Halenda's Fine Foods, Deli Roast Beef

• Silver - VG Meats, Chipotle Rubbed Roast Beef

Ham - Open

• Platinum - Halenda's Fine Foods, Mini Dinner Ham "Mishka"

• Gold - Sikorski Sausages Co. Ltd., Farmers Ham

• Silver - Halenda's Fine Foods, Eco Ham

Kielbasa

• Platinum - VG Meats, Turkey Kielbasa

• Gold - L'Original Packing Ltd, Kielbosa

• Silver - VG Meats, Ham Kielbasa

Poultry Deli Whole Muscle Deli

• Platinum - Halenda's Fine Foods - Homestyle Turkey Breast

• Gold -Finest Sausage and Meat - Roast Turkey Breast Paprika

• Silver - VG Meats - Chipotle Rubbed Turkey Breast

Premium Dried or Dry Cured

• Platinum - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Bresaola Wagyu

• Gold - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Lamb Prosciutello

• Silver - Finest Sausage and Meat, Smoked Pork Neck

Salumi

• Platinum - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Pork Coppa

• Gold - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Duck Prosciutello

• Silver - VG Meats, Ziguineer Salami

Sausage - Dry/Semi-Dry

• Platinum - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Tru ed Wild Boar Salami

• Gold - Speducci Mercatto Inc., Umbro Salami

• Silver - Halenda's Fine Foods, Hunter Garlic Sausage

Sausage - Specialty

• Platinum - Florence Meats, Kranska with cheese & jalapeño

• Gold - Denninger's Foods of the World, Spinach Sausage

• Silver - Finest Sausage and Meat, Jalapeno Cheddar

• Silver - VG Meats, Smoked Polski and Cheddar Cheese Sausage - Traditional

• Platinum - Halenda's Fine Foods, Kranska

• Gold - Sikorski Sausages Co. Ltd., Chorizo Sausage

-

Meats,

Quiet Quitting: Why It Happens and 6 Ways to Prevent It

By Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

Should you be worried about quiet quitting? “Don’t be concerned if employees are meeting expectations but not going beyond to achieve better work-life balance,” says Amanda Gorman, WSPS Mental Health Consultant.

“But if an overachiever in your workplace suddenly dials back their efforts, you need to pay attention. Employees may quietly quit because they are experiencing too much psychological stress related to workplace issues.”

In all, 13 workplace factors influence an employee’s psychological health and safety and could prompt quiet quitting.[i]

Understanding what’s at play and being proactive is the key to keeping employees motivated and engaged.

Amanda outlines 6 ways to do that.

How Workplace Factors Contribute to Quiet Quitting

Why do overperformers suddenly stop doing those extras?

Amanda notes that it can be tied to:

• recognition and rewards. “Do your employees feel they are not being recognized for their efforts?” Rewarding and recognizing

employees is essential for employee engagement, retention and creating a positive work environment.

• job dissatisfaction. Is the person frustrated because of neverending obstacles? Is the job varied or challenging enough?

• workplace changes. “Has the person’s manager, job or workload changed to create the change in their performance?

• lack of empowerment. “It’s demotivating if you are not able to offer any opinion or creative thought on what you do.”

• lack of promotion. “How long is too long to hold someone in line for promotion?”

• poor workplace interactions. For instance, unfair treatment, bullying, belittling, etc.

6 Ways To Bolster Psychological Health and Reduce Quiet Quitting

1. Re-assess your workplace culture. “Is it characterized by trust, honesty, fairness, tolerance and mutual respect? Does it support employees’ psychological concerns and personal growth?”

2. Upskill supervisors and managers. To build trust with employees, managers and supervisors require emotional intelligence, empathy, vulnerability, and listening skills - traits that can be learned.

3. Open the door to conversations. Have an open-door policy and more one-on-one meetings where employees can ask questions and express concerns without fear of reprisal.

4. Find out what motivates employees. “Use a survey to engage employees. Ask questions about their opinions on what an ideal workplace looks like. Additional questions such as, ‘What inspires you to work with full attention and enjoyment?’ and ‘What do you believe are the top three attributes of a good manager?’ can also provide valuable insights.”

5. Guard against burnout. Are workloads, deadlines and expectations reasonable and achievable? Do you have a policy in place that allows employees to disconnect from work during their off hours without penalty? (See 6 tips to launch a “disconnect” policy now.)

6. Empower, recognize and reward employees.

• provide career advancement opportunities

• welcome ideas - Is there a better way to do the job? What are your opinions on the company’s direction or activities?

• provide extra training so employees can take on new responsibilities

• offer payment for overtime work

• continually acknowledge and recognize employees’ contributions

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By Daphne Nuys-Hall, Technical Director, Meat & Poultry Ontario

The Meat & Poultry Ontario Labour Market Survey (LMS), launched in 2011, aims to capture vital information on the labour needs of the meat and poultry industry. The LMS is comprised of questions that collect occupation-specific data on current staffing needs, compensation, turnover, and forecasting as well as gather general information on recruitment and retention, training and human resource strategies. Although the 2022 MPO Labour Market Survey Report is provided exclusively to those members who participated in the survey, due to the on-going, industry wide labour challenge facing all meat plant operators MPO is sharing some key findings.

Hiring Challenges

Finding labour, let alone skilled labour, is still one of the biggest challenges facing meat plant operators. According to the survey the current number of vacant positions ranged from 1 to 25, with the majority of respondents indicating vacancies of 4 or more positions. One respondent noted a vacancy rate of 15-25% depending on the location.

When asked to identify what they consider to be their biggest hiring challenge is, operators responded• Too few applicants ......................................... 32%

• Applicants lack of specific skills or training 15%

• Applicants lack of motivation / poor attitude 21%

• Applicants lack of relevant experience 12%

• Other (please specify)...................................... 21%

Respondents also identified the following as challenges to hiring -

• Location, lack of public transportation

• Hiring locally is our biggest challenge

• Combination of them all

• Isn’t perceived as a career

Positions in which the respondents experience the most difficulty hiring for are meat cutters, both industrial and retail, general labourers, kill floor workers, sausage makers, and smokehouse operators. There is a noticeable increase in the percentage of employers who are unable to fill certain positions from 2020.

Industry Response to Hiring Challenges

In order to continue to manufacture and grow, industry must overcome their hiring challenges by utilizing alternative strategies to fill the gap. From the survey it appears meat plants are forced to function with fewer employees, hire people who don’t meet the job requirements, recruit from outside their

community and pass on responsibilities to other employees. Unfortunately, 52% of respondents have had to pass up on new business opportunities because of their hiring challenges.

Use of Technology

The adoption of new technology was also identified as a means of overcoming the hiring challenges. In the last 2 years 47% of respondents indicated that they had adopted new automation or technology to replace labour. These included software systems that make staff work easier, packaging machines, auto linking systems on stuffers, portioning machines and slicers, modern semi automated higher capacity machines, and automated washing equipment.

53% of respondents indicated that they are planning on adopting new automation or technologies in the next 3 years including conveying systems, automated packaging equipment and lines, robotics and line integration, software systems and automated slaughter equipment and lines.

However, many operators face barriers to adopting the new automation or technologies including the following: • Access to capital 13%

Physical limitations of facility

50% • Return on investment

9%

Unaware of what is available

16%

13% • Time

There is no one silver bullet to solving the Ontario meat industry’s labour challenge. With our current workers aging out of the workforce, lower labour participation rates and other factors make demand for skilled labour more acute. Without a consistent, national labour solution, meat processing plants will continue to face employment gaps and labour shortages. The meat industry needs to engage in a two-pronged approach of investing in measures to retain and attract staff, while also introducing more automation and technology into the production process.

Advertiser Index

Abate pg. 14, 31 abatepackers.com

Agsights pg. 8 agsights.com

AKR pg. 10 akrconsulting.com

Canada Beef pg. 35 canadabeef.ca

Canada Compound pg. 37 canadacompound.com

Colliers Real Estate pg. 18 collierscanada.com

CSB Systems pg. 20 csb.com

Darling (Rothsay) pg. 40 darlingii.ca

David Food Processing pg. 12 davidfoodprocessing.com

DPEC Food Solutions pg. 11, 43 dpecfoodsolutions.ca

Duropac pg. 16 Duropac.com

Erb Transport pg. 6 Erbgroup.com

Handtmann pg. 47 handtmann.ca

Klever Equipped pg. 9 goklever.com

Kungfu Butchers pg. 33 kungfubutchers.ca Malabar Super Spice pg. 5 Malabarsuperspice.com

The Meat Depot pg. 30 themeatdepot.ca

Multivac pg. 17 ca.multivac.com

Pack 3000 pg. 24 pack3000.com Pemberton pg. 31 pemcom.com Poly-clip pg. 7, 45 polyclip.com

Polytarp pg. 19 polytarp.com Reiser pg. 41 reiser.com

Stock Canada pg. 44 stockcanada.ca VC999 pg. 1, 48 Vc999.com

Viscofan pg. 13 Viscofan.com

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