Question Period Note: ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE

Q1 – What is the Government of Canada doing to enhance the environmental resilience of the sector, including adapting to the impacts of climate change? Q2 – What is the Government of Canada doing to enhance sustainable water management in the agriculture and agri-food sector? Q3 – What is the Government of Canada doing to protect biodiversity in the agriculture and agri-food sector? Q4 – What is the Government of Canada doing to protect soil health?

R.1 - The Government supports farmers through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), which funds beneficial practices and technologies to manage environmental risks and adapt to climate change.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) research focuses on soil health, drought-resilient crops, water and biodiversity management, and tools to help producers adapt. Programs like Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs bring farmers and scientists together to test and share solutions.
In 2023, Canada launched its first National Adaptation Strategy, which has specific objectives for agriculture and a framework to track progress. R.2 - Through Sustainable CAP, cost-shared programs help farmers adopt practices that protect water resources and improve climate resilience. AAFC also conducts research on sustainable water management and provides data like the Canadian Drought Monitor to support producers.
The new Canada Water Agency leads federal freshwater efforts, including the Freshwater Action Plan with $650 million over 10 years. AAFC is working closely with the Agency to strengthen water security in agriculture. R.3 - Farmers are key stewards of biodiversity, which supports soil health, pollination, pest control, and climate adaptation. Under its Strategic Plan for Science, AAFC prioritizes biodiversity research and maintains extensive biological collections for crops and livestock. Through Sustainable CAP, farmers are supported to adopt practices like shelterbelts, cover crops, wetlands, and riparian restoration that enhance biodiversity. R.4 - Soil health is a priority for AAFC. Research and collaboration with partners support practices that reduce erosion, boost organic matter, and store carbon. In 2024, the Government endorsed many recommendations from the Senate’s Critical Ground report on soil health. AAFC is working with the Soil Conservation Council and partners to develop a National Agricultural Soil Health Strategy.
Internationally, Canada contributes to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification and the Global Soil Partnership, supporting global soil sustainability.

AAFC collaborates with provinces and territories through five-year, federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) agricultural policy frameworks to support agriculture sector stakeholders in the responsible stewardship of Canada’s agricultural land and environment:
• Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) – a five-year (2023-28), $3.5-billion agreement, including $500 million in new funds. This includes delivery of the $250 million federal-provincial-territorial cost-shared Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program to help producers conserve and enhance the resiliency of agricultural landscapes.

Additional investments outside of Sustainable CAP to support the agriculture sector in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that also have the potential to produce environmental co-benefits to support climate adaptation, soil health, biodiversity, and water include:
• Agricultural Climate Solutions: On-Farm Climate Action Fund – a $200 million, 3-year fund (2021-2024), with an additional $470 million announced in Budget 2022 over six years (starting in 2022-23), to support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices in three areas: nitrogen management, cover cropping, and rotational grazing practices. Budget 2023 announced an additional $34.1 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, to support adoption of nitrogen management practices by Eastern Canadian farmers, that will help optimize the use and reduce the need for fertilizer.
• Agricultural Climate Solutions: Living Labs – a $185 million, 10-year program (2021-2031) to establish a strong, Canada-wide network of living labs, bringing together farmers, scientists and other sector partners to co-develop, test, and monitor BMPs on working farms to reduce Canada’s environmental footprint and enhance climate resiliency.
In June 2024, the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry released a new report titled “Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health”. It provides an overview of the critical role of soil in mitigating climate change, contributing to biodiversity and putting food on tables. The report makes 25 recommendations to the federal government to work with the Canadian agriculture sector, as well as municipal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments, to tackle soil degradation and preservation. The Government released a Response to the Senate report in November 2024, generally supporting the broad, positive approach taken by the committee and endorsing many of the recommendations. In June 2025, Bill S-230 was tabled in the Senate, requiring the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to develop a national strategy to support and promote soil health across Canada, in collaboration with other federal ministers, other levels of government, and stakeholders from across the sector.
 

• The Government is committed to a resilient agriculture sector that can adapt to climate change, grow sustainably, and keep feeding Canadians and the world.

• We’re working with farmers and partners to build resilience through science, innovation, and on-farm support. That means climate-resilient crops, smarter water use, healthier soils, and stronger biodiversity.

• Through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, governments at all levels are united in tackling climate change, cutting emissions, protecting the environment, and supporting sustainable growth in agriculture.