Liberal MLA Robert Henderson Calls on Government to Provide Immediate Support for PEI‘s Oyster Industry

Charlottetown, PE – Liberal MLA Robert Henderson, representing O’Leary-Inverness, is calling on the provincial government to provide urgent support to Prince Edward Island’s oyster industry after hearing directly from industry stakeholders at the Standing Committee on Natural Resources yesterday.

“This industry isn’t new to hard work, but after 18 months battling MSX, growers are stretched to the limit. Loans and interest charges are piling up, buyers are hesitant, and traditional harvesting areas are disappearing. Minister Bell has had plenty of time to step in, yet the department is still behind. The government shows no sense of urgency about the real harm its inaction is having on this critical industry. The industry needs real, tangible support and it needs it now,” Henderson said.

Henderson is calling for immediate measures to help the industry. These include freezing interest and deferring loan principal payments for affected growers, providing low-interest capital support for processors to continue purchasing oysters, and offering wage support for the extra grading required to maintain export-quality products.

“Promises aren’t enough,” Henderson said. “Growers and processors are doing everything right, but without meaningful help from Minister Bell, they’re running on empty. This government needs to get its act together. Short-term relief is critical, and long-term stability requires risk management programs like crop insurance and AgriStability tailored to this industry. Anything less leaves them one bad season away from disaster.”

Background

MSX was first detected in PEI waters nearly 18 months ago. Many growers are experiencing high mortality on their leases. Buyers are hesitant to hold large inventories, and public fishers are losing traditional harvesting areas. In the PEI government’s spring budget, $3 million was allocated to the oyster industry, but almost all has been spent with limited tangible outcomes. The oyster industry generates approximately $27 million in exports and supports hundreds of Island jobs.