CAHRC Announces New Board Chair and Executive Committee

 Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is pleased to announce Cyr Couturier (Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance) has been acclaimed as Board Chair for the 2025–2027 term, replacing Peggy Brekveld (Ontario Federation of Agriculture), who completed her 2023–2025 term as of June 23, 2025. CAHRC would also like to thank Peggy for her leadership during her term as Chair. 

The Executive Committee for the new two-year term is now comprised of Cyr Couturier (Chair, representing Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance), Jeremy Welter (Vice-Chair, representing Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan), Stan VanderWaal (Treasurer, representing Canadian Federation of Agriculture), Allan Melvin (representing Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture), and Gwen Young (representing Alberta Federation of Agriculture). The CAHRC Board includes representatives appointed from all of CAHRC’s Member Organizations.

Cyr Couturier brings more than 30 years of experience in the Agriculture and Agrifoods sectors (aquaculture science, technology, applied research, and education). Based at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, he is widely recognized for his leadership in sustainable aquaculture and workforce development. Cyr has held executive leadership roles with the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association, and currently is President of the Aquaculture Association of Canada, and serves on the Boards of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

“I very much look forward to working with my agriculture and agrifoods colleagues from across the country.  CAHRC supports skills enhancement and innovation, and assists with future labour and skills needs for this wonderful farming sector - a sector that brings so much vitality  and is so important for Canadians, from coast to coast to coast”, said Cyr Couturier, CAHRC’s new Chair.  

Jennifer Wright, Executive Director of CAHRC, added: “The agriculture and agri-food sector continues to evolve and grow. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council plays a lead role in bringing stakeholders together to ensure the workforce is there to support the sector. We look forward to Cyr’s leadership as Chair and working with all CAHRC Board Members, as we move ahead.” 

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About CAHRC

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is a national, non-profit organization focused on addressing human resource challenges and opportunities facing agricultural businesses across Canada. CAHRC works with industry leaders, governments and educational stakeholders, to research, develop and communicate solutions to the challenges in employment and skills development in primary agriculture.

The Council represents farming in all its forms: raising traditional and non-traditional livestock; producing, cultivating, growing, harvesting or collecting conventional and non-conventional agriculture commodities; and any practices performed as an integral part of an agricultural operation.  

For more information visit our website.