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Restaurant Canada feathers ruffled by government's lack of transparency on chicken pricing

Restaurants Canada is calling on a government commission to be more transparent as it investigates the cost of production formula used in setting the price of Ontario chicken.

October 29, 2014

Restaurants Canada is calling on a government commission to be more transparent as it investigates the cost of production formula used in setting the price of Ontario chicken.

According to an open letter from Garth Whyte, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission requested input on proposed amendments to determine the "minimum live prices for chickens that Ontario producers are paid."

Restaurants Canada has requested copies of all proposed amendments, proposed prices and costs, and a description of the cost of production formula currently in place.

The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission has not responded to the request, said Whyte.

"The restaurant industry is Canada's second-largest purchaser of chicken and has been denied intervener – even observer – status during this review. Our association is unable to respond to the commission's invitation to provide commentary on the proposed amendments by the deadline of Nov. 6, because these amendments have not been made known. For that matter, details of the COP used since 2002 have also not been shared publicly," said Whyte in the open letter. "As a result, outside interveners like ourselves don't know if amendments proposed by the current review significantly advance the consumer, our industry and – ultimately – the public interest."