The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food met to study the closure of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research stations, hearing from witnesses including a research scientist, the head of an innovation council, a general manager of an organic agriculture centre, a Nova Scotia MLA, and two university deans.
Lori Oatway, a research scientist and seed grower with Western Crop Innovations, testified that the closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre, a cornerstone of innovation for 119 years, would cause an economic shock and the loss of over 100 jobs. She emphasized that the centre’s unique deep black soil and pathology work are critical for crop variety registration trials across western Canada, and that its closure would disrupt long-term plant breeding projects and the broader national research network. She urged the federal government to reconsider the decision or, if it cannot be reversed, to develop a clear transition plan that safeguards data, genetic resources and scientific expertise.
Serge Buy, CEO of the Agri-Food Innovation Council, criticized the lack of consultation with industry before the closures, stating that across-the-board cuts are counterproductive and that stakeholders could have suggested alternatives. He argued that the closures will cause the loss of long-term datasets essential for climate modelling and soil health, and that decades of accumulated scientific expertise cannot be replaced. He recommended a national strategy for agriculture and food research and innovation, improved interdepartmental collaboration to reduce duplication, and funding for community-led initiatives to retain research capacity.
Sophie Martel, General Manager of the Centre d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture biologique et de proximité, argued that public science is irreplaceable for systemic research on soil health and pest management, areas the private sector neglects due to a lack of patentable outcomes. She warned that the closure of the Sainte-Foy centre would harm research on forage crops and climate resilience, and that the end of the college and community innovation program threatens applied research. She recommended a national agricultural science strategy with stable public funding, recognition of agricultural research as strategic infrastructure, and reinvestment of any savings from closures into fundamental and applied research.
Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, a Nova Scotia MLA, testified that the closure of the Nappan research farm would abandon region-specific applied research for Atlantic Canada, particularly on Bay of Fundy dykelands with unique soil and drainage dynamics. She noted that the site generates revenue, that industry partners have invested in ongoing projects, and that the closure risks shifting costs onto the industry-run Maritime Beef Test Station. She called for transparency and continuity before capacity is dismantled, arguing that moving research to other locations would not preserve Atlantic-relevant outcomes.
Rickey Yada, Dean at the University of Alberta representing the Deans Council of Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine, highlighted that the agriculture sector generates nearly $150 billion in GDP and supports one in nine Canadian jobs, with every dollar invested in research yielding a $10 return. He cited the development of canola as an example of successful collaboration between universities and AAFC, and warned that the closures would disrupt long-term studies on soil health and cross-commodity issues. He and Heather Bruce stated that universities lack the resources to take on the lost research, as they face their own fiscal challenges.
Heather L. Bruce, Dean at Dalhousie University, agreed with Yada that universities cannot absorb the lost research capacity due to their own budget constraints and infrastructure challenges. She noted that universities are motivated to transfer knowledge quickly to market, but that biological generation lags in livestock breeding can slow progress. She emphasized the importance of partnerships with industry and government to speed innovation to producers.
Blaine Calkins, a member of Parliament, spoke about the Lacombe centre’s history of developing the Lacombe hog and advancing meat science, plant breeding and disease management, warning that its closure would reduce sector competitiveness and climate resilience. He argued that the government should find savings elsewhere, citing spending on consultants and international projects, and noted that staff at the centre have been told not to speak to him. Sébastien Lemire questioned Calkins on the inconsistency of his past support for the closure of the Kapuskasing experimental farm under the Harper government, to which Calkins replied that he was not familiar with that facility.
The committee agreed to invite the minister to appear on the estimates for one hour on March 24, with officials for the second hour.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.