Welcome to OCFA Site  

Welcome to the web site of the Ontario Commercial Fisheries' Association.  The OCFA represents an industry that has been a part of the history, culture and economy of our part of the world for a very long time.  There was a recognizable commercial fishery before Europeans colonized what we now call Ontario.  Fishing was one of the first industries established in new communities that sprang up as Europeans pushed up the Great Lakes in the early years of Canada's founding.

We are proud of our history and proud of our modern role as purveyors of nutritious, wholesome fish products sustainably harvested from Ontario's waters.

May 14, 2020

Good afternoon.  Please see the following announcement from the Prime Minister regarding support for fish harvesters across Canada.  Specific details of the 2 Programs – Fish Harvester Benefit and Fish Harvester Grant - have not been announced and OCFA will continue to monitor and provide updates as they become available.

Prime Minister announces new support for Canada’s fish harvesters

May 14, 2020
Ottawa, Ontario

Canadians working in the fishing industry are feeling the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why the Government of Canada is taking action to support those workers, who help provide families and communities across the country with high-quality fish and seafood.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced up to $469.4 million in new measures to support Canada’s fish harvesters, who are economically impacted by the pandemic but cannot access existing federal measures. This investment builds on the $62.5 million for the new Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund announced last month to help Canada’s fish and seafood processing sector.

The Government of Canada will:

• Launch the Fish Harvester Benefit, a program worth up to $267.6 million, to help provide income support for this year’s fishing seasons to eligible self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons crew who cannot access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Support will be provided to those that experience fishing income declines of greater than 25 per cent in the 2020 tax year, compared with a reference period to be identified. This measure covers 75 per cent of fishing income losses beyond a 25 per cent income decline threshold, up to a maximum individual entitlement equivalent to what is provided under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ($847 per week for up to 12 weeks).
• Launch the Fish Harvester Grant, a program worth up to $201.8 million, to provide grants to help fish harvesters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and who are ineligible for the Canada Emergency Business Account or equivalent measures. This will give them more liquidity to address non-deferrable business costs. The program would provide non-repayable support of up to $10,000 to self-employed fish harvesters with a valid fishing licence. Size of the non-repayable support will vary depending on the level of fish harvesters’ historic revenue.
• Propose measures or changes to Employment Insurance (EI) that would allow self-employed fish harvesters and sharespersons to access EI benefits on the basis of insurable earnings from previous seasons (winter and summer claims).

Additional details on these measures will be made available soon.

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the resilience of Canada’s food system and its workers. We will continue to monitor and respond to the wide-ranging impacts of COVID-19, and take additional actions as needed to protect the health and safety of Canadians, and stabilize the economy.

Jane Graham

Executive Director

Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association