Representatives from the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, Public Service Alliance of Canada, National Farmers Union, and the Agriculture Union held a news conference on Parliament Hill Thursday to voice their concerns around Bill C-30 and its impact on food safety in Canada.

Included in that is a reduction in the number of federal public service workers which numbers around 30,000 and more than 500 of those are with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which the unions say is already understaffed.

Concerns around the bill potentially leading to companies, individuals, and products being exempt from food safety laws also arose.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada’s vice-president Katie Francis questions what food safety measures will be overruled in the name of economic security.

”Just last week the CFIA restricted the border for certain live stock after a flesh eating parasite was discovered in a calf in Texas. Could cabinet override this decision in the name of free trade? If unsafe feed is found, does economic security mean avoiding a costly recall? If a new pesticide is commercially useful, does that mean that it can be exempt before the safety evaluation is complete?”

Bill C-30 is intended to provide targeted economic relief for Canadians by implementing measures from the 2026 spring economic update.