2022 MPL BC Agency Approval
Last updated on April 9, 2024Purpose & Scope
BCFIRB is considering the following January 12, 2022 recommendation from the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission:
That MPL British Columbia Distributors Inc. (MPL BC) be granted an agency designation to market BC regulated greenhouse vegetables.
BCFIRB will determine if approving MPL BC as a designated agency is sound marketing policy.
Background
Under s. 8 of the Natural Products Marketing (BC) Act Regulations (NPMA Regulations), BCFIRB is required to approve agency designations.
Agencies are businesses licenced by the Vegetable Commission and prior approved by BCFIRB to market regulated B.C. products on the behalf of producers and to the exclusion of other businesses. Agencies are delegated certain legislative authorities by the Vegetable Commission, to whom they are directly accountable.
Agencies secure and build access for B.C. regulated products in a wide variety of markets for regulated producers. Agencies also process, store, pack, label, and ship product on behalf of producers.
For consumers, agencies help ensure a steady, safe, high-quality supply of B.C. product by contributing to orderly marketing.
Overall, designated agencies play a front line and larger strategic role, assisting the Vegetable Commission to regulate, manage and grow the regulated vegetable sector in an orderly fashion.
Agency designation is a privilege. It is non-transferable and is not approved in perpetuity. The Vegetable Commission may review its designation of an agency as part of its annual licence renewal process or from time to time and upon any material changes in the conditions giving rise to the initial approval.
Currently the Vegetable Commission has 8 designated agencies licenced to market regulated greenhouse vegetables.
Review Process
The Review process may be adjusted as necessary to ensure a fair process, stakeholder engagement and collection of the information necessary for decision-making. Any changes will be recorded on this web page.
Step 1: Terms of Reference – June 2022 - March 2023
Establish a Terms of Reference for the prior approval process, including: issues to be decided, who can participate and how.
Step 2: Written Submissions, Document Disclosure and Expert Witnesses – March 2023 - May 2023
Written submissions
BCFIRB will invite written submissions from all eligible participants based on specific questions regarding the Commission process, rationale and recommendation.
All written submissions will be posted to the BCFIRB website. Persons are responsible in the first instance for informing BCFIRB if, in their view, the information they are providing is confidential. The panel will assess the information and reasons for confidentiality before determining if or how the information should be disclosed.
Document disclosure
The Commission must file with BCFIRB all documents, in its possession, in unredacted form that it relied on in coming to its January 12, 2022 decision no later than March 17, 2023.
All eligible participants in the in-person hearing, including the Commission, are to file with BCFIRB all documents they intend to rely upon at the supervisory hearing by April 21, 2023.
Expert witnesses
Eligible participants who wish to rely on expert evidence must, at least 30 calendar days prior to the supervisory hearing, provide BCFIRB and all participants with a report setting out:
- the expert’s qualifications; and,
- a summary of the expert’s opinion, including the facts and assumptions on which it is based.
Step 3: Supervisory Hearing – May 23, 24 and 26, 2023
An In-person Supervisory Hearing is scheduled for May 23rd, 24th and 26th, at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn (1665 56 St, Delta, BC).
Step 4: BCFIRB Decision
BCFIRB decision on MPL BC agency designation.
Step 5: Outstanding Appeals
Following the release of BCFIRB’s decision, parties with outstanding appeals may notify BCFIRB Case Management staff that they intend to proceed with the appeal. After receiving submissions from all affected parties, the BCFIRB appeal panel will determine if any live issues remain to be addressed on appeal and make any necessary rulings.
Timeline and Documents
Review letters and documents are posted to ensure a transparent, fair and accountable process. Persons are responsible in the first instance for informing BCFIRB if, in their view, the information they are providing is confidential. The panel will assess the information and reasons for confidentiality before determining if or how the information should be disclosed.
Use the search box and the table sort function (click in the table headings) to find documents.
| When | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-8 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) re Direction to appoint Senior Executive as VMC Liaison |
| 2023-11-1 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re Clarification and Stay application |
| 2023-10-20 | BCFIRB |
Letter and Appendix A (PDF) Corrigendum to the October 11, 2023, Decision Decision (PDF) Amended by Corrigendum |
| 2023-10-19 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Reply to Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms Letter |
| 2023-10-18 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms, BCVMC |
Letter (PDF) Reply on MPL BC's request for Decision Clarification Letter (PDF) Request for Decision Clarification |
| 2023-10-17 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Request for Decision Clarification |
| 2023-10-11 | BCFIRB | Decision (PDF) MPL BC Agency Designation Approval (see amended Decision on October 20, 2023) |
| 2023-09-14 | MPL BC | Final Reply (PDF) Supplemental Written Submission |
| 2023-09-06 | Hearing Participants |
Supplemental Written Submission: |
| 2023-09-04 | Eligible Participants | Letter (PDF) re Supplemental Written Submission |
| 2023-08-24 | BCFIRB | Decision (PDF) Supplemental Written Submission Extension |
| 2023-08-22 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Supplemental Written Submission & Appendix A (PDF) 2023 Jan 25 Ruling MPL Phase II Final |
| 2023-06-01 | Hearing Participants | Additional Closing Submissions: Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms (PDF) & Cover Letter MPL BC (PDF) |
| 2023-05-26 | Hearing Participants |
Closing Submissions: |
| 2023-05-19 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Revised Order of Presentation |
| 2023-05-17 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Witnesses List |
| 2023-05-17 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re Hearing Participants Written Submissions |
| 2023-05-12 | BCFIRB/Hearing Participants | Cover Letter (PDF) BCFIRB Written Submissions Received Binder (PDF) Hearing Participants Written Submissions |
| 2023-05-11 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) re Additional Participants |
| 2023-05-09 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re Witness List, Order of Presentation and Schedule |
| 2023-05-09 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re MPL BC and GGFI and Windset Process Requests |
| 2023-05-05 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Hearing Participants Decision |
| 2023-05-05 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Email (PDF) re MPL BC on Pre-Hearing Procedural Conference |
| 2023-05-03 | MPL BC | Email (PDF) re GGFI & Windset Proposed Pre-Hearing Procedural Conference |
| 2023-05-02 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) Proposed Pre-Hearing Procedural Conference |
| 2023-05-01 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) re Witnesses and GGFI & Windset Book of Documents |
| 2023-05-01 | Eligible Participants | Binder (PDF) Applications from Eligible Participants |
| 2023-04-27 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re BCVMC & Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms April 23 Correspondence |
| 2023-04-24 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Eligible Participants Application |
| 2023-04-23 | BCVMC, Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms |
Letter (PDF) BCVMC re BCFIRB April 21, 2023 Letter Email (PDF) Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms re BCVMC April 23, 2023 Letter |
| 2023-04-21 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Document Disclosure: Document Book (Bookmarked) (PDF) |
| 2023-04-21 | MPL BC | Document Disclosure: Book of Authorities of MPL (PDF) |
| 2023-04-21 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) re BCVMC Written Submissions |
| 2023-04-18 | MPL BC | Final Reply (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions for Written Submissions |
| 2023-04-14 | BCVMC | Final Reply (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions for Written Submissions |
| 2023-04-11 | BCVMC | Letter (PDF) re Non-Disclosure Order Decision Amendment |
| 2023-04-11 | BCFIRB | Decision (PDF) Non-Disclosure Order Decision Amendment |
| 2023-04-10 | BCVMC |
Document Disclosure: |
| 2023-04-07 | MPL BC | Written Submission (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions |
| 2023-04-06 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Cover Letter (PDF) & Written Submission (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions |
| 2023-04-06 | BCVMC | Written Submission (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions |
| 2023-04-06 | BCVMC | Letter (PDF) re Decision on BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application |
| 2023-04-06 | BCFIRB | Decision (PDF) BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application |
| 2023-04-04 | Eligible Participants | Binder (PDF) Eligible Participants Letters & BCFIRB Replies |
| 2023-03-31 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Reply BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application |
| 2023-03-30 | BCVMC | Letter (PDF) Reply BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application |
| 2023-03-29 | BCVMC | Letter (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions for Written Submissions |
| 2023-03-29 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) Submission re BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application |
| 2023-03-27 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) MPL BC Agency Application Prior Approval Panel Questions for Written Submissions |
| 2023-03-22 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) MPL BC Non-Disclosure Application & Submission Schedule A - Agency Application Slide Deck - Redacted (PDF) Schedule B - Category Expansion - Redacted (PDF) Schedule C - MPL BC Letter to Debbie Etsell 11.15.2021 - Redacted (PDF) |
| 2023-03-21 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) BCVMC & MPL BC Non-Disclosure Order Application Process Schedule |
| 2023-03-17 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Non-Disclosure Order Application and Extension Request |
| 2023-03-16 | BCVMC | Letter (PDF) Non-Disclosure Order Application Document Disclosure: 2021-05-27 - MPL Amended Redacted Agency Application (PDF) 2021-09-27 - Email from Andre to Panel with Attachments - Redacted (PDF) |
| 2023-03-15 | BCFIRB | Email (PDF) re MPL Prior Approval Final Terms of Reference |
| 2023-03-13 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) re MPL Prior Approval Final Terms of Reference |
| 2023-03-08 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) MPL Prior Approval Final Terms of Reference Final Terms of Reference (PDF) Appendix A - 2023 Jan 18 MPL BC Letter (PDF) Appendix B - 2022 May 22 Final Supervisory Rule on Confidentiality (PDF) |
| 2023-02-15 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) MPL Prior Approval Process Hearing Dates |
| 2023-02-10 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Updated Submission on Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2023-02-10 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) Updated Submission on Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2023-02-07 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) MPL Prior Approval Process Next Steps |
| 2023-02-02 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) re Agency Designation Prior Approval Process Update Requested |
| 2022-07-27 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Response to prior approval process on hold |
| 2022-07-22 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Prior approval process on hold |
| 2022-07-15 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Update on the Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2022-07-06 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Response to the Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2022-07-06 | BCVMC | Email (PDF) Response to the Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2022-07-05 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) Response to the Draft Terms of Reference |
| 2022-06-28 | BCFIRB | Draft Terms of Reference (PDF) |
| 2022-04-26 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) BCFIRB Prior Approval Process |
| 2022-04-06 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Response to MPL BC March 16, 2022, Letter |
| 2022-03-31 | Greenhouse Grown Foods Inc & Windset Farms | Letter (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Designation Prior Approval Process |
| 2022-03-16 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) MPL re Agency Designation Decision Required |
| 2022-03-11 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) Response to BCVMC and MPL BC |
| 2022-03-01 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Re MPL Agency Designation |
| 2022-01-31 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) Response to MPL Agency Designation |
| 2022-01-24 | BCFIRB | Letter (PDF) BCFIRB Response to BCVMC and MPL Agency Designation |
| 2022-01-18 | MPL BC | Letter (PDF) MPL re Agency Designation |
| 2022-01-12 | BCVMC | Decision (PDF) re MPL BC Agency Application |
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Read BCFIRB’s Protection of Confidentiality Rules (PDF) to learn how BCFIRB manages confidential information.