The potential

Today, Canada has a generational opportunity to boost the economic strength of our food and agriculture sector while meeting the challenges of food insecurity and climate change. A National Food Security Strategy can help us realize this potential. 

If done right, a National Food Security Strategy could meet multiple imperatives. It could drive economic growth, strengthen domestic food supplies, help meet global climate commitments, drive down inequalities, bolster domestic infrastructure and capacity, and build geo-political leadership and influence. The strategy can also underpin a domestic innovation agenda that will make our country more resilient, equitable, productive and environmentally sustainable. 

Importantly, Canada has among the most abundant and fertile farmland and greatest supplies of fresh water of any country on Earth. A visionary strategy now can protect this productive capacity for future generations facing a changing climate. 

The goal

A National Food Security Strategy could set an audacious yet achievable vision for our country, such as: Within the next 10 years, Canada should be the world’s primary food producing nation while reducing food insecurity and greenhouse gas emissions domestically. This should be pursued through three strategic pillars: resilience, equity and productivity.

Three strategic pillars for a National Food Security Strategy

Pillar 1: Resilience. Ensuring Canada’s food supply lines can withstand political, economic and climatic volatility

The problem:

• Most of Canada’s fruits and vegetables either come from, or transit through, the United States.
• Many other critical agri-food inputs are sourced from, or transit through, the U.S., such as eggs/chicks for laying hens.
• Canadians are eating more fish (~4 percent increase year over year), but 75 percent of fish we eat is imported.
• Climate change is already impacting agri-food systems. Sustainable practices will protect our ability to eat, while reducing agricultural impacts on the planet.
• Given political and climatic volatility, Canada’s strained supply chains are vulnerable to rapid deterioration.

The opportunity:

Canada should establish multi-use infrastructure (e.g. strategic multi-use corridors, dynamic supply chains, community-use greenhouses) that supports local communities and national priorities, while minimizing climate impacts. Policies should reinforce food systems that can better withstand political, economic and climatic volatility. Investments in resilient infrastructure should strengthen communities and food sovereignty, particularly in regional, rural and Northern areas; meet global environmental commitments; and strategically connect with national defence strategies.

Recommended actions:

1. Conduct a thorough risk assessment. Map out all critical dependencies to guide strategic investment in Canada’s domestic capacity.
2. Provide Federal support to address critical vulnerabilities in Canada’s food supply.
3. Launch an Agriculture and Food Investment Agency, with a mandate to ensure food security is embedded in government policies, and to stimulate and direct investment in multi-use infrastructure projects.

Pillar 2: Equity. Addressing food insecurity through innovative social policies and human rights

The problem:

• Food insecurity is caused by financial and systemic barriers between people and affordable, nutritional food. It is addressed through social policy and income-based interventions. Food security is addressed through research and development, investment and other supports directed at producers, processors and primary agriculture / fisheries. Both are important components of a National Food Security Strategy, and represent different but vital components of a balanced portfolio of food security policies. However, it is important to note that neither approach does it all and they should not be mistaken for each other.
• 1 in 4 Canadians is food insecure. Food bank use has never been higher. Meeting this basic need cannot default to food charities.
• Food prices are expected to rise by about $1800 for a family of four in 2026 and are expected to keep rising with inflation. The one-time increase to the Groceries and Essentials Benefit means some families will keep up with food price inflation this year but risk falling behind again in 2027.
• The national food insecurity crisis comes at great social cost, including decreased human health and wellbeing, and is a drain on the economy, including through reduced productivity.

The opportunity:

A National Food Security Strategy can provide a catalyst for addressing what are now unprecedented rates of food insecurity, impacting over 10 million Canadians and one in three children. Canadians are incredibly creative, and social innovations hold great promise to solve complex issues within food insecurity and food sovereignty. A National Food Security Strategy can support systemic investments and innovations that can improve affordability and support better access to local, nutritious and culturally appropriate food.

Recommended actions:

1. Increase the benefits at-risk Canadians receive, such as increasing the Canada Disability Benefit and/or further expanding the Groceries and Essentials Benefit.
2. Pilot and/or invest in measures that directly increase food access. This could include partnering with organizations that have established locally relevant and effective solutions.
3. Expand and target the Local Food Infrastructure Fund.

Pillar 3: Productivity. Putting Canada on a path to be the world’s primary food-producing region

The problem:

• Our position in global agriculture and agri-food trade has slipped from 5th to 7th and could drop to 9th by 2035.
• Smaller countries such as the Netherlands (in agri-food) and Norway (in aquaculture) out-compete us in terms of exports, innovation and productivity.
• Canada’s agri-food sector faces both a labour and skills shortage, and too few Canadians are aware of the innovation opportunities in agri-food.
• Many talented young people do not consider agri-food as a valid and attractive career path.

The opportunity:

Given Canada’s endowment of land, fresh water and skilled labour, our relatively untapped coastal and marine resources, and climate trends that are lengthening the growing season in some areas, we have the potential to be the world’s top food producing country. Canada’s greenhouse boom means we are already a world leader in controlled environmental agriculture, which creates economic opportunities and builds resilience. Investing in Canadian ingenuity can create jobs and provide more sustainable food. If we also create incentives for climate smart farming, then agri-food has the potential to help Canada meet international climate goals.

Recommended actions:

1. Create a $500M Grand Challenge Innovation fund that aims to double the productivity and carbon efficiency of Canada’s agri-food system.
2. Offer tax relief or incentives and government matching funds for investors who take equity in Canadian agri-food startups, and farmers using environmentally sustainable practices.
3. Develop targeted supports, including a national co-op program for agri-food to create more pathways into agri-food careers, thus addressing major skills or labour shortages.