Ottawa—Two months after requesting the federal government assist in alleviating a debilitating worker shortage in their businesses, 11 food processor associations are still waiting for a response, says Kathleen Sullivan, CEO of Food and Beverage Canada (FBC).Although their proposal for an immediate Emergency Foreign Worker Program has been discussed with officials and the government has announced some long-term measures to attract Canadians into the food processing sector, there has been no response from the four cabinet ministers to whom the request was made, Sullivan said.The inaction is disappointing considering that food and beverage is Canada's largest manufacturing sector employing, at capacity, almost 300,000 workers.A recent Public Safety Canada report found labour shortages averaged 25 per cent across the sector, which is even greater than the 20 per cent shortages than when the emergency program was proposed to the ministers in December.“While we recognize that food and beverage manufacturing is one of several sectors undergoing labour shortages, it is important to note that the federal government has identified food manufacturing as one of Canada's critical infrastructure sectors.”The request was made to Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.“The inability to meet our current labour needs will continue to have a direct impact on domestic food security, food affordability, and animal welfare,” Sullivan said. In January, the groups submitted a refined proposal for the worker program based on their discussions with federal officials. It proposed building on two existing programs within the Employment and Immigration departments.They wanted the emergency program in place by the end of January to run until the summer of 2023 during which time more permanent and long-term solutions to industry's labour issues should be identified and phased in.The groups have heard encouraging public comments on the issue from several of the ministers but no direct response or meetings to discuss their proposal.In addition to FBC, the proposal has been endorsed by Le Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Quebec, Food and Beverage Ontario, Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council, the Canadian Meat Council, BC Food & Beverage, Food & Beverage Manitoba, Food & Beverage Atlantic, the Bakery Association of Canada, and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.