e-4909 (Food and drink)

Ensuring Canadians have access to a secure supply of affordable and sustainably produced food is a priority for the Government of Canada.

As part of this commitment, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is leading the Government of Canada’s Food Policy for Canada with a vision for the future of food in Canada:

• All people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food.
• Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment and supports our economy.

AAFC is developing a Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (SAS) to help set a shared direction for collective action to improve environmental performance in the sector over the long term, supporting farmers’ livelihoods and the long-term business vitality of the sector. The Strategy will build on past and current successes, recognizing action already taken by producers to meet environmental objectives, while growing production and supporting Canada’s role as a global food provider.

It will focus on five priority areas: soil health, climate adaptation and resilience, water, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity. Organic agriculture is one example of a production approach that supports the SAS goals and outcomes by promoting soil health. Canadian Organic Growers is a member of the SAS Advisory Committee, which meets regularly to inform the development of the SAS.

AAFC has also committed to supporting sustainable and resilient food systems through its Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). The Sustainable CAP is a $3.5 billion, 5-year agreement (2023-2028) between Federal/Provincial-Territorial (FPT) governments, to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-based products sector. It includes $2.5 billion in shared FPT funding available for cost-shared programs to support agricultural programs and services that are tailored to meet regional needs.

FPT cost-shared programs are developed and delivered by provinces and territories based on FPT priorities. They can include programs or initiatives that support the organic sector, including by supporting the adoption of Beneficial Management Practices such as integrated pest management strategies and alternatives to pesticides (e.g., cultural and biological control strategies).

Part of the FPT cost-shared programs under Sustainable CAP include the new Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, a $250 million program that uses an ecological goods and services payment approach to accelerate the adoption of on-farm land use and management practices that conserve and enhance the resiliency of agricultural landscapes. This includes supporting practices that align with organic production, such as planting pollinator habitat, converting to reduced tillage, and other regenerative agriculture practices.

Both organic and non-organic farmers are interested in reducing input costs, improving soil health and increasing farm resilience to market fluctuations and climate change. Although AAFC programming does not distinguish between methods of agricultural production when determining eligibility for funding, the following examples represent current funding provided directly to the organic industry:

• The Organic Federation of Canada has received approximately $500,000.00 in funding through AAFC’s AgriAssurance Program to coordinate industry participation in the revision of the Canadian Organic Standards, which regulate the production and marketing of certified organic products. The Canadian Organic Standards have been updated every five years since 2010. The current update is expected to be completed in 2025.

• The review and update of the Canadian Organic Standards is led by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB). Through a Memorandum of Understanding, AAFC will provide approximately $300,000.00 to the CGSB for the Standards revision process.

• AAFC’s AgriMarketing Program also approved a three-year (2023-2024 to 2025-2026) Canada Organic Trade Association project for up to $1.175M to continue their efforts to find opportunities for Canada’s organic products and producers domestically and internationally, while building public trust in the ector and its positive reputation. 

• Under AAFC’s Agricultural Climate Solutions, the On-Farm Climate Action Fund provided $7.69M in funding over three years (2022-2023 to 2024-2025) to ECOCERT Canada to help certified organic farmers adopt ready-to-deploy beneficial management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions through cover cropping and nitrogen management. The project also includes knowledge and mobilization activities to build knowledge and awareness on the importance of this work and targets certified organic farmers in various provinces across Canada.

The Government of Canada recognizes that investments in research and innovation into organic agriculture and agro-ecosystem health are beneficial not only to the sector as a whole, but also to support the robust and expanding organic sector in Canada.

For example, under AAFC’s AgriScience Program, the Organic Science Cluster (OSC) was established. The OSC focused on advancing research in a number of areas including: variety development, water quality, soil health, biodiversity, and pest, weed, and disease management. There have now been three Organic Science Clusters, and work is under way for a fourth cluster. Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (2018-2023), the Organic Federation of Canada received up to $8.2M in funding for the Organic Science Cluster.

According to data from the Canada Organic Trade Association, the organic marketplace in Canada continues to expand. Canada is now the fifth largest organic market in the world with 7,702 certified organic operations in Canada as of 2022. In terms of trade, in 2022, Canada’s export value of organic products grew by 33% for a total of $554.9M while imported products totaled $935.8M. 

Budget 2024 also included a number of important investments to strengthen Canada’s food systems and make progress towards the Food Policy’s vision, including community food security, strengthening Indigenous food systems, improving Northern food security, and advancing a National School Food Program:

Strengthening Local Food Security

• $62.9 million over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to renew and expand the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support community organizations to invest in local food infrastructure, with priority to be given to Indigenous and Black communities, along with other equity-deserving groups; Includes support for community organizations to improve infrastructure for school food programs as a complement to the National School Food Program

Strengthening Access to Culturally Important Foods

• $14.9 million over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to renew and expand the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund to all regions of Inuit Nunangat to support local and Indigenous food production systems, including innovative northern food businesses, which contribute to food security in the North
• $25.1 million over two years, on a cash basis, to expand the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program to assist Indigenous communities to safely access shellfish harvest for food, social, and ceremonial purposes
• $2.8 million over three years, starting in 2024-2025, to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan Measures to bolster the policy and engagement capacity among Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Inuit Treaty Organizations to co-develop legislative and policy options to facilitate the production, sale, and trade of traditional and country food

Northern Food Security

• $23.2 million in 2024-2025, to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for Nutrition North Canada’s subsidy program to lower the cost of nutritious food and other essential household items
• $101.1 million over three years starting in 2024-2025, to support the Harvesters Support Grant and Community Food Program Fund and promote Indigenous communities in implementing culturally appropriate, local solutions to address food insecurity

National School Food Program

• $1 billion over five years to Employment and Social Development Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Indigenous Services Canada, starting in 2024-2025, to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to expand access to school food programs; This includes investments for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities as well as Self-Governing and Modern Treaty Partners, many of whom have some of the highest rates of food insecurity in Canada.