Question Period Note: FOOD WASTE

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Every year, nearly half of Canada’s food supply is discarded as it moves through the system, from farm gate to dinner plate, resulting in wasted energy and nutrients, labour, capital, and natural resources. This food loss and waste (FLW) imposes real economic, environmental, and social costs on Canadians, resulting in lost productivity in the food supply, reduced food availability and higher food prices for consumers, and increased greenhouse gases emissions from landfills. Research published in 2024 estimates that:
• A total 21.18 million tonnes of FLW is generated annually in Canada, equivalent to 46.5% of the total food supply.
• Nearly half occurs in food processing and manufacturing (49%), followed by households (15%) and in storage/grading (12%). The remaining food waste occurs about evenly at preharvest (7%), distribution (5%), retail (5%), and foodservice (hotels, restaurants, institutions; 7%).
• Avoidable FLW in the supply chain, from production to retail, accounts for 12% of food prices paid by consumers at retail.

Federal Approach to Reducing Food Loss and Waste
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have been leading federal efforts on FLW reduction, with some contributions from other federal departments and agencies. AAFC’s Strategic Plan for Science supports research to advance food loss and waste reduction through the pillar of advancing the circular economy by developing value-added opportunities.

AAFC partners with Public Services and Procurement Canada’s GCSurplus program to donate surplus crops from its research centres. AAFC has over 20 research centres, as well as a number of associated farms where research and development activities are conducted in support of the Canadian agriculture industry. Until 2021, there was no way of donating surplus food from these crops. In 2021, AAFC’s partnership with GCSurplus was launched, enabling the donation of fresh food from research centres to Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest for distribution to communities across Canada. Since 2021, we have donated a total of 143,000 lbs of food to communities in need.

The $20-million Food Waste Reduction Challenge (AAFC, 2020-24) provided funding for innovators that delivered novel solutions for reducing FLW across the supply chain. The Challenge supported 42 organizations in advancing FLW solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence, mobile applications, upcycling to new foods or high value products, and novel packaging and food treatment technologies to extend the shelf life of food.

AAFC is also supporting the development of a National Voluntary Standard, and definitions for measuring FLW, being led by the International Standards Organization (ISO), Standards Council of Canada (SCC), and Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The CSA is seeking public input on a draft standard, including input from industry, governments and civil society. The comment period will close on October 5, 2025, and once the ISO, CSA, and SCC have reviewed feedback and achieve consensus on a draft, a National Standard of Canada will be published for use by the sector and stakeholders interested in measuring and monitoring FLW.

• Cutting food waste saves Canadians money and helps protect the environment.

• The Government of Canada is working with farmers, industry, and consumers to find new ways to eliminate, reduce, and repurpose food waste. Through collaborative efforts, we are accelerating cross-sector adoption of food waste solutions.

• We’re investing in science and research to better understand where food loss happens and how to prevent it. $20 million was invested through the Food Waste Reduction Challenge to fund innovators creating new solutions to cut food loss and waste across the supply chain.