Member Town Hall

April 03, 2023

As COVID-19 placed significant pressures on our country, Canadians became more aware than ever before that everything we do, whether it involves a service on which we rely or a product that we use, is the result of an efficient supply chain working behind the scenes to drive our economy and better our lives.

 We have seen many of the obstacles and blockades that challenged the supply chain have begun to dissipate. But we now have a government and a country who are more keenly aware of just how vital the supply chain is to their daily lives.

 Nowhere was this new awareness higher than in the federal government, who immediately identified protecting the supply chain as an immediate priority. This led to the establishment of the National Supply Chain Task Force, aiming to provide a formal report to the government on how best to protect the supplies.

 Supply Chain Canada presented to the task force, providing input and feedback along the way through the report’s development. Working directly with the government, Supply Chain Canada elevated concerns about digitization, protecting the supply chain from protests and natural disasters, and now better to engage professionals across the country.

 Following the publication of the report, Supply Chain Canada held a town hall for members across the country. The townhall had excellent attendance from across the country, with more than 300 members attending.

 Martin Montanti, our President and CEO, chaired the town hall, reviewing the content of the federal report and soliciting member feedback and suggestions. Our members pushed for three main themes:

•  Labour – with a focus on ensuring high awareness among students, and modernizing training with hands-on experiences;
• Automation and technology – including increased funding for automation at ports and other key. points and a cybersecurity plan; and
• Minimizing disruptions – focusing on minimizing the impact of protests on key infrastructure and increased co-operation between provinces.

We compiled this feedback into a formal report in response to the task force, called the Transforming Ideas into Action Report. The report was formally submitted to the federal government as feedback. You can find that report here. We have continued to press the government on these issues and will continue to do so moving forward. If you’d be interested in getting engaged in our government relations efforts, please reach out to us at [email protected]