In a highly unusual move, the federal Finance Department announced a 10 per cent tariff on low-priced processed vegetables from a limited number of countries.
It will not apply to products from the United States, Mexico, Israel, Chile and developing countries.
It is classified as a safeguarding measure which has only been used once in the last 20 years.
The safeguarding inquiry was launched at the request of the Canadian Association of Vegetable Growers and Processors.
It is opposed by the Retail Council of Canada which speaks for the dominant supermarket chains.
The tariff will last a maximum of 20 days while the inquiry continues.
There have been substantial increases in imports from Thailand (179 per cent), Turkey (159 per cent) and Peru (85 per cent).
They may have come to Canada because the United States hit them with higher tariffs.
Nortera Foods Inc. of Quebec has in recent months made plans to close two plants, citing concerns about import competition. It announced the closure of its Lethbridge, Alta., plant in March, and its Saint-Césaire, Que., plant in October.
