ICCC Calls on Canadian Government to Protect Canadian Small Businesses and Extend the TCA Cheese Letters

TORONTO, ON, September 28, 2023 – Today, the International Cheese Council of Canada (ICCC) calls on the Government of Canada to extend the validity of the Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) Cheese Letters, which are set to expire at the end of 2023. This extension, which would not grant additional market access, would support and protect Canadian businesses active in the cheese sector - and benefit their customers across the country.

“The ICCC’s membership imports most of the British cheeses that can be found in stores across Canada. If our members are unable to import British cheeses, most Canadians will not be able to find these popular British products in stores after Christmas. Unfortunately, their cheese boards will lose some of the variety that cheese lovers currently enjoy” said ICCC Chair Joe Dal Ferro. “ICCC members – small and medium-sized Canadian enterprises – have been providing Canadians’ favourite cheeses at affordable prices for many years – and we want to continue providing British cheeses for a long time to come.”

Currently, importers of British cheeses are able to import their products to Canada through the WTO Cheese TRQ EU Reserve as a result of the Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) Cheese Letters negotiated between Canada and the United Kingdom. However, this interim agreement covering cheese trade is set to expire at the end of 2023 unless both governments agree on an extension. If there is no extension, importers will have to use the WTO Cheese TRQ Non-EU Reserve to import British cheeses, which is small and already has a very high utilization rate. This outcome, if left unchanged, will create significant business disruptions to the cheese importing industry and will cause financial harm to small cheese shops across Canada.

“British cheese making is a crafted art steeped in history which cannot be replicated. Not only does the singular techniques feed into the uniqueness of our cheeses, but the grazing conditions ensure that we export only the finest products,” said Darren Larvin, Managing Director of Coombe Castle International, an ICCC associate member. “Canadian consumers pick their cheese like their wine – by provenance. When a consumer walks into a store looking for a British cheese – they want the cheese from the region with everything associated to the provenance. Canadian consumers should not be barred from making that choice after December 31st, 2023. They should not have to pay for Brexit.”

The International Cheese Council of Canada is committed to working with Canadian and British government officials on an outcome that will preserve access for cheese importers, respect Canada’s treaty obligations and ultimately benefit Canadian businesses and consumers.