Canadian government regulations are endangering the ability of the Jewish community to produce kosher meat, leading kosher certifiers have said in a joint letter. Kosher meat is a requirement of Jewish religious law and limiting its availability is being seen as an attack on religious freedom that also affects Muslims.

The regulations on kosher and halal slaughter, according to sources familiar with the process, require that a significant number of 18 indicators be met to be certain that the animal is in an irreversible unconscious state in which it experiences no pain.

“Since these new guidelines have gone into effect, the amount of kosher meat produced in Canada has decreased dramatically,” said various Jewish groups. The community has been trying to temporarily supplement this shortfall with imported kosher meat, but this situation is not viable over the long term.”