Question Period Note: Food Policy for Canada

How will the Food Policy address challenges in Canada’s food system?

1. Canada’s first ever Food Policy, launched on June 17, 2019, is our roadmap for a healthier and more sustainable food system.

2. The Food Policy brings a coordinated approach to dealing with food issues in Canada by building stronger linkages across existing federal initiatives that affect food.

3. We have already launched the Local Food Infrastructure Fund to support community-led solutions that addresses food insecurity. We have had a great response, at almost 500 applications.

On March 19, 2019, the Government of Canada committed $134.4 million in new funding for A Food Policy for Canada, under the four action areas; Help Canadian Communities Access Healthy Food, Make Canadian Food the Top Choice at Home and Abroad, Support Food Security in Northern and Indigenous Communities and Reduce Food Waste.

The Food Policy action areas include programs that will address some of the most pressing issues including:
• $50 million for the development of a Local Food Infrastructure fund;
• $15 million to establish the Northern Isolated Community Initiative Fund;
• $25 million for a Buy Canadian Promotion Campaign;
• $24.4 million for tackling food fraud; and,
• $20 million for a Food Waste Reduction Challenge.

The Government of Canada also committed, through Budget 2019, to engage with provinces and territories towards the creation of a National School Food Program. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is leading this engagement process, with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

The creation of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council will bring diverse stakeholders together to provide advice to the minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food on food-related issues. The call for applications for the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council ran from August 9 to September 20, 2019, and generated 124 eligible applications, with broad representation of interests and perspectives from across the Canadian food system.

As part of the Food Policy for Canada, AAFC launched the Local Food Infrastructure Fund in August 2019. AAFC also held external consultations over the summer on the next stream of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, which seeks to fund projects up to $250,000. The first call for proposals under the program, which accepted applications for funding up to $25,000, received close to 500 applications.

AAFC will also be engaging stakeholders on the Food Waste Reduction Challenge over the coming months to ensure the challenge best reflects the opportunities that are available to reduce food waste across the value chain from production to consumption.

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