New Canadian reshoring group to advocate for supply chain modernization

A group of former parliamentarians has announced that they are forming a new organization called Reshoring Canada. This non-partisan advocacy organization is designed to promote a modern, secure, and less risky supply chain.

“The pandemic has exposed risk in our supply chains, a place where we didn’t know to look. This will make way to find solutions for our people and our economy,” said Tony Clement, former federal industry minister and co-chair of this initiative.

“Canada cannot rely on friendly neighbours or business savvy executives to make our supply chains work. The threat is real, and it’s coming from unforeseen directions,” said Sandra Pupatello, former Ontario minister of economic development and trade and co-chair of this initiative.

“New risks in our supply chain are national, coast-to-coast-to-coast, issues,” said Brian Storseth, former Alberta parliamentarian and co-founder of this group. “This impacts every sector from oil and gas, to mining, to manufacturing, to food.”

Reshoring Canada will analyze and offer solutions to key stakeholders that can make changes to support Canadian industries and secure jobs. Its first order of business is to move from anecdotal evidence of risk to hard data. With the help of key industry associations like the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA), and Ontario Mining Association, Reshoring Canada will be reaching out to businesses across the country to solidify the kind of data required to make substantial recommendations to government and other key stakeholders.

"The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in our supply chains that have caused manufacturers and exporters to rethink what we consider acceptable risks to productivity and competitiveness of our businesses," said Dennis Darby, CEO of CME. "The work of this organization is coming at just the right time to help provide the insights we will all need to navigate our way to a more prosperous sector and economy."

"The pandemic and the new NAFTA have forced all of us to look inwardly and ask, 'what should be made here' and ask outwardly 'what could be made here’," said Flavio Volpe, president of APMA. "We have the skills, resources, and people; we need the will to reset the state of play."

“We are pleased to work with Reshoring Canada to assess the current state of supply chains in the mining sector,” said Chris Hodgson, president of the Ontario Mining Association. “We know how important Canadian critical minerals are to the security, clean tech, and manufacturing sectors. Yet foreign-controlled supply chains can mean Canada would remain in the back seat. It is time to prioritize our local supply chains.”