We recently received information from a reliable industry source about how the federal government is administering beef import permits. If accurate, it raises serious concerns about whether the federal government is knowingly sustaining an outdated and opaque system that keeps beef prices unnecessarily high.

At a time when many families are struggling with food costs, this is more than a bureaucratic issue — it directly affects affordability.

Canada’s beef import rules operate under a tariff-rate quota system. A limited volume of beef can enter the country at a low tariff, but anything beyond that is slapped with a steep import charge. When supply tightens or when specialty products are required, supplemental import permits are meant to provide flexibility and help stabilize the market. For years, the system worked reasonably well.

But the structure behind the process has not kept pace with today’s realities. The committee originally created to provide guidance — the Beef and Veal Tariff Rate Quota Advisory Committee — has not met since 2015. For a decade, no formal mechanism has existed for importers, retailers or independent distributors to participate in discussions with government about how permits are allocated.

Instead, decisions have shifted informally toward a small group of influential players, including major domestic processors who have a vested interest in........

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