The House of Commons agriculture committee met to study the future of science and innovation in the agriculture and agri-food sector, hearing from municipal leaders, industry representatives, a private-sector entrepreneur, a policy analyst, and union officials about the impact of recent cuts to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centres.
Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute argued the innovation system is heading toward a crisis, noting that AAFC’s research has been under pressure for years and that the department made closure decisions largely in isolation. He recommended greater transparency and accountability from AAFC, a cultural shift toward meaningful partnerships in science, and a national plan for how the department can contribute to a 21st-century innovation system.
Andrea Brocklebank of the Beef Cattle Research Council said the cuts at Nappan, Quebec City and Lacombe will impair the beef industry’s long-term resilience, stressing that universities and private industry cannot fill the gaps left by the loss of public-good research. She recommended that if closures proceed, critical programs in forage breeding, food safety and carcass quality be transferred in a way that preserves their function, continuity and infrastructure.
Alison Sunstrum, an agritech entrepreneur, framed the closures as either a signal of erosion or an opportunity for renewal, warning that losing long-term field trials and breeding populations means losing Canada’s biological capital. She argued that public research builds the foundation for private investment and that without modern infrastructure, Canada’s competitive advantage will erode.
Reynold Bergen of the Beef Cattle Research Council noted that while some researchers from Edmonton have been offered transfers to Lethbridge, that site lacks a cow herd, making it difficult to maintain progress on feed-efficiency genetics. He emphasized that feed efficiency improvements benefit both profitability and the environment.
Thalia Hibbs, mayor of Lacombe, described the closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre as an economic and social shock to her community of 15,000, warning that the loss of an integrated farm-to-fork research asset cannot be reversed. She requested a 12- to 18-month validation period to inventory assets, assess risks and publish a transparent cost-benefit analysis before irreversible actions are taken.
John Ireland, reeve of Lacombe County, said the closure would eliminate region-specific research for the black soil zone of central Alberta, which has different climate and moisture conditions than southern Alberta. He argued that public research is essential for unbiased science and that losing it would reduce production and competitiveness.
Patrick St-Georges of the Agriculture Union said the cuts will have serious negative consequences, particularly the closure of the Quebec Research and Development Centre, which is dedicated to cold and humid climate agriculture. He called on the government to reconsider the cuts before the damage becomes irreversible.
Sébastien Paquette of the Public Service Alliance of Canada noted that significant investments had recently been made to upgrade the Quebec City centre, making the closure seem illogical. He warned that halting research on optimized genetic strains would lead to lost data and reduced farm profitability, ultimately increasing grocery costs.
During questions, members explored the economic impact of the cuts, the inability of universities to absorb the lost research capacity, and the importance of independent science for trade disputes and public trust. Several witnesses noted that staff at the Lacombe centre have been told not to communicate with local officials, hampering efforts to find alternative solutions. The committee also heard about the closure of a CFIA laboratory in Longueuil, which is the only facility with expertise in nutritional analysis for food labelling.
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