Evidence of meeting #26 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was innovation.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Marianne Dandurand Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Thank you so much.
It's very interesting to hear about PIC and the example it sets. I think that your funding comes from ISED, and you're a cluster with a lot of innovation.
I'd like to hear more about your results. Where is the money coming from, how does it work and how could it set an example for AAFC as we are looking forward on how to do research in the future?
Chief Executive Officer, Protein Industries Canada
Our funding comes from ISED. We've been recapitalized twice. We've invested about $220 million in projects. We've had about a 3:1 industry-leading investment. Industry is investing $3 for every dollar that we are able to co-fund. We're de-risking innovation through these funds and trying to give permission to create and evaluate.
As a model for AAFC, it's important to look at Crown corporations like Farm Credit Canada. It recently announced significant dollars. I think it was about $7 billion.
We need to apply and create a landscape where we can de-risk and get industry to invest more here in Canada. That's the race we're in, which we spoke to earlier, so that industry decides to invest in Canada versus some other jurisdictions. We're in that race to really secure more economic opportunity from the value-added ingredients and value-added agriculture and food production that we're trying to create here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
Thank you.
We will pause now for about five minutes while we change our panel.
Thank you to everyone online, and thank you to our witness in person.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
I call this meeting back to order.
I'd like to make a few comments for the benefit of our new witnesses. Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by teleconference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mic and please mute yourself when you are not speaking. For those on Zoom, at the bottom of your screen you can select the appropriate channel for interpretation: floor, English or French. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired language. I remind you that all comments should be addressed through the chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the committee is resuming its study on science in Canadian agriculture and the closure of research centres.
I'd like to welcome our witnesses.
Joining us here today as individuals we have Carole Lafrenière and Vincent Poirier. From the Centre d'innovation agricole, we have Jean-Pierre Charuest and Anthony Laroche; and from the Global Institute for Food Security we have Nancy Tout.
Welcome and we'll start with Madame Lafrenière online.
Carole Lafrenière Retired Professor in the agricultural field, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
I'm a retired professor at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, UQAT.
Agriculture in our region is facing the closure of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centres for the third time. Agriculture in our region is mainly based on livestock sectors, including dairy production and veal calf production. In the 1980s, the Kapuskasing Research Farm played a major role in the development of veal calf production. A key outcome of this research is the development of competitive businesses with large livestock sizes of 250 to 350 or more cows, based on productive and quality forage crops stored in bunker silos.
The first budget cuts at the Kapuskasing Research Farm were made in 1995, with the elimination of the horticulture and grain programs, leading to its closure in 2013.
Given past successes, the agricultural community knew that research was essential for the development of its businesses. As a result, as early as 1996, there was a major mobilization in the community to encourage UQAT to form a partnership with the Kapuskasing Research Farm. This started research on grass-fed beef, but the farm's closure in 2013 wiped out these efforts.
It took a little over 10 years to assemble a team of five professors with the expertise the region needs. Veal calf production is now shifting toward agroforestry systems to increase resilience and reduce greenhouse gases, as well as toward a new stream of organic grain research. These production efforts are supported by expertise in soil science, agrometeorology and agroeconomics.
In 2025, the UQAT board of directors approved the creation of the Institut de recherche en agriculture et agroalimentaire. In 2026, for the third time, budget cuts at the Quebec City and Nappan research centres have affected us. Over the years, professors have built strong collaborations with researchers at these centres in the fields of soils, forage crops and pastures. With budget cuts at Quebec universities, this time, resilience will be very difficult to maintain.
Vincent Poirier Professor of Soil Science, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
Good morning. I would like to introduce myself. I am a professor at UQAT, an expert on carbon sequestration in agricultural soils and director of the Institut de recherche en agriculture et agroalimentaire.
I will begin my remarks by drawing inspiration form the words of my colleague, Professor Jean Caron. Political circles and civil society rarely realize that people around the world are 30 centimetres away from famine. What does that mean? It means that all of our food depends on the top 30 centimetres of soil on the earth's surface. Perennial forage plants help enrich soils, so healthy forage production and healthy soils go hand in hand.
Soils and forage plants provide a number of other ecological services to society. They can sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support biodiversity, and regulate water and nutrient cycles. Despite this, the science is clear: Our soils continue to degrade, especially in Quebec and eastern Canada, and their ability to produce food is declining.
Research on soils and forage plants is vital, particularly at the Quebec City research centre, to counter this degradation. The announced closure of research centres is a true scientific disaster that will set us back by several decades. The loss of expertise in forage plants and of long-term field studies will have an incalculable negative impact on society and the agricultural community.
At UQAT, our work is rooted in the local community. Thanks to our complementary expertise, we've managed to put in place two unique systems under real-world farm operating conditions—one in agroforestry and the other focused on the revitalization of abandoned farmland. These two production systems are promising for the future, but their current status is precarious.
In the current climate and geopolitical context, it is essential that Canada increase its food self-sufficiency and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Significant funds must to be invested, particularly in universities, to support infrastructure and research staff focused on soils and forage crops. Time is of the essence, as changes are occurring faster than our ability to adapt to them.
Thank you very much.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
Thank you very much.
Next, we'll go to the Centre d'innovation agricole for five minutes.
Jean-Pierre Charuest Chair, Centre d'innovation agricole
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My name is Jean‑Pierre Charuest. I'm the chair of the board of directors of the Centre d'innovation agricole. I have with me Anthony Laroche, who is the centre's general manager.
The centre is a non-profit organization that serves as a platform for coordinating technology transfer, innovation and support for training the next generation of farmers in the greater Eastern Townships region of Quebec. We act as a catalyst between the generators of new knowledge—universities, federal research centres, college centres for technology transfer—on the one hand, and the recipients of this knowledge and technologies—agricultural businesses, front line advisers and educational institutions that train the next generation of farmers—on the other hand.
We operate within an exceptional regional ecosystem characterized by the presence of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre in Sherbrooke, and a number of university faculties at the Université de Sherbrooke and Bishop's University, which offer valuable expertise in agriculture; the Productique Québec college centre for technology transfer, which specializes in digitization, automation and robotics; as well as two post-secondary agricultural training institutions: the Cégep de Sherbrooke and the Centre de formation professionnelle de Coaticook-CRIFA.
This regional ecosystem is distinguished by its focus on sustainable and resilient agriculture, which includes livestock production and perennial forage crops. This integrated approach positions the Eastern Townships as a true living laboratory for agri-food innovation capable of supporting the competitiveness of industries while addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges.
Since 2021, the Centre d'innovation agricole has mobilized nearly 175 agricultural producers in the Eastern Townships to adopt new agricultural practices based on research done in Canada. Our mission is to support producers in adopting and integrating research findings into their farming practices in order to adapt to the changes affecting them.
The Centre d'innovation agricole also acts as the Eastern Townships regional coordinator for the deployment of the Living Lab—Lait carboneutre project, which is led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and aims to achieve carbon neutrality in the dairy industry. Thanks to our involvement, five dairy producers in the Eastern Townships are contributing to research conducted by researchers at the Quebec City research centre on forage crops, greenhouse gas reduction and sustainable farming practices adapted to modern but profitable dairy production.
Why did we choose perennial forage crops?
Since 2021, the Centre d'innovation agricole has identified the perennial forage crop sector as a strategic pillar in addressing climate change affecting agriculture.
Perennial forage crops are the foundation of dairy and beef production in Canada. These crops provide highly nutritious forage crops rich in effective fibre and protein. They promote the digestive health in ruminants and help cattle reach their full milk production or growth potential. On-farm forage production enhances a farm's food self-sufficiency and reduces businesses' reliance on imported food, which is often expensive and subject to high market volatility.
Perennial forage crops keep soils healthy by protecting them from erosion caused by annual crop rotations and contribute to soil carbon capture through their root systems.
As we can see, climate change is amplifying the weather variability, which causes summer droughts, intense precipitation and more volatile winters.
Perennial plants, thanks to their deep and permanent root systems, are better able to adapt to this climate stress than annual crops. They improve soil water retention and show faster growth recovery after extreme events, which contributes to the stability of agricultural production in a changing climate. Global warming opens up the possibility of agricultural expansion into more northern regions, where perennial crops will play a decisive role.
Therefore, perennial crops play a crucial role—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
I'm sorry. I'm going to have to stop you there. We've run out of time. Thank you so much.
We'll now go to the Global Institute for Food Security for five minutes.
Nancy Tout Interim Chief Executive Officer, Global Institute for Food Security
Good afternoon, and thank you for the invitation to present to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
My name is Nancy Tout, and I'm an experienced innovation executive with over 25 years of experience across both public and private research organizations leading commercially focused innovation to support Canadian agriculture. Today, I'm representing the Global Institute for Food Security, GIFS, based in Saskatoon. I previously held the position of chief science officer and currently hold the position of interim chief executive officer.
The innovation model at GIFS is unique and differentiated here in Canada—a public-private partnership model. We work with public, government and academic labs and private industry, from large multinationals to small and medium-sized enterprises, to leverage the investments made by both public and private partners and to accelerate innovation outcomes to commercial entities.
I'll begin by sharing two important pieces of information to provide a framework on how we elevate the discussion on the research station closures and lean into a conversation of the future of Canadian agriculture and agri-food innovation.
Number one is that innovation, as we've heard this morning, has always driven the world's top economies to become even stronger, and that is certainly true for agriculture and agri-food. While Canada ranks quite strongly in our innovation inputs, our outputs—notably commercialization and scaling innovation—are disappointingly lagging behind the rest of the world. It's a return on investment no one should accept or would accept within their own retirement investment portfolios.
This provides clear direction for Canada and for this committee. Let's continue to celebrate our innovation assets and inputs in Canada, but let's remain laser-focused and shift greater attention and investments on the output part of that equation to ensure Canada doesn't continue to lose ground versus the rest of the world.
Number two is that Canada's productivity gap is growing, as highlighted in Farm Credit Canada's recent report, threatening Canada's competitiveness and ability to meet global food demand. Through innovation, we can fill this productivity gap, unlocking $30 billion in additional farm income.
With these two pieces top of mind, let me address the subject at hand in two ways.
One, in the face of a rapidly changing innovation technology global landscape, we acknowledge and support the government in moving forward with a tough but necessary decision-making process.
Two, we all have mixed feelings about the news of closures and staff layoffs across the country. As one of Canada's inputs into our innovation ecosystem, we celebrate the past and rich history of Ag Canada's research stations, the talented scientists, the land and the data that has been generated over decades across diverse and critical areas of agriculture and agri-food research.
As part of this study, this committee must work through a collaborative framework to consider the land, the capital and the data assets impacted. What's great about Canada's diverse innovation ecosystem is that there are existing and new partners—public, private and producers—who are willing and capable to assign value and to lead and support the path forward.
The land base and data are two areas that are often forgotten about but are important considerations for the committee. Canada hasn't done a great job of valuing data in our innovation ecosystem. As we further embrace AI and predictive modelling in agriculture and agri-food, data and digital assets can help turn outdated spreadsheets and manual guesswork into smart, timely and predictive data-driven decisions that will improve crop and animal performance, and soil health; reduce costs; and increase profitability.
This leads me to two strong recommendations for the committee's consideration.
The first recommendation is this. Although Canada has world-class agriculture research capacity, it is increasingly fragmented and complex. Other jurisdictions have built a highly coordinated, national but industry-driven innovation framework with cross-sectoral innovation systems driven by stable funding, integrated governance and strong industry-research alignment, all focused on scale and commercialization.
Canada can too, but we must act now. To do this, we must not restrict our thinking to the individual silos that make up our system. We must move research to deployment at scale and build bold new national innovation models.
The second recommendation is that we must strengthen our partnership model and approach to innovation to be inclusive of public, private and producers. It's called the P3 model. Many will say it exists, but I'm here today to say the balance is off, and we can do better.
In summary, as we move forward with the next steps in this study, let's ensure we properly steward and transfer leadership of valuable land and data. Let us also lean into new collaborative models of innovation, positioning Canada's agriculture and agri-food innovation systems, but more importantly their outputs, in a leading position globally.
I'll end with Let's Grow Canada, a movement recently rolled out by Farm Credit Canada at Canada's Ag Day here in Ottawa to shape the future of food in Canada. These words also summarize my comments here today for the committee. Let's Grow Canada's innovation system is focused on partnerships and economic impact.
Thank you for the opportunity to share this bold vision and imperative for Canadian agriculture. I'll take questions from members of the committee.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
We have about 16 minutes left. I did promise Mr. Lemire two opportunities to speak because he passed on the last one, and I know that Mr. Gourde has something to bring up in committee business.
We will start with four minutes for the Conservatives, if that's okay. Then we'll go to the Liberals. I don't know how we're going to do this. We may have to go past 1:15.
Please go ahead.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question is for the team from the Université du Québec en Abitibi‑Témiscamingue.
In 2008, a truly disastrous global crisis took place. Canada put in place its economic action plan, which was implemented in 2009, 2010 and 2011. I remember making an announcement on forage research in Abitibi‑Témiscamingue, which is a very beautiful region, by the way. We know that, in Abitibi‑Témiscamingue, forage crops benefit from more sunlight than in southern Quebec. Funding had been made available. I don't remember the amount, but I believe it was about $2 million. This funding was granted for research on forage quality—primarily to highlight it—and for research on yield potential. The funding was also used in the beef sector, as it's a region where beef production is significant.
Has this funding been beneficial for the entire forage and beef sectors? What have the results been? We know that the results take a few years to materialize after an investment. If you remember what happened, could you tell us about it?
Professor of Soil Science, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
I would ask my colleague Carole Lafrenière to answer the question.
Retired Professor in the agricultural field, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
Good afternoon, Mr. Gourde.
Indeed, the investment made at the time was extremely beneficial. It aligned with what we wanted to do, which was to enhance the value of forage crops. It has enabled us to establish infrastructure and to continue doing research. It was very beneficial and kicked off our work on pastures. It came at a time when we really needed it. We were beginning to feel the effects of climate change, so we started working on pastures. We still need funding for forage crops. That need is still there; the funding is still necessary.
Of course, the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as a small university, has limited resources. I say “small”, but not in the sense that it can't do big things. Working on pastures, for example with the people in the forage sector in Sainte-Foy and Matane, has enhanced the way we can do things.
In short, I can tell you that the funding has been beneficial, and we would like to have more of it.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Unfortunately, we have a Liberal government. The Conservative government has always been very, very responsive to that, especially in the past. I'm a former forage producer and exporter, and I really appreciated that funding announcement. It's a really fascinating region with a truly magical bioclimate.
I know that you would like to have more funding, but there are cuts. We've talked about how injecting funds was beneficial and would have yielded 30, 40 or 50 times the amount invested. If we make cuts, Ms. Lafrenière, what will happen in the next 10 or 15 years?
Retired Professor in the agricultural field, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
We began to feel the impact of the cuts very quickly after the farm closed in Kapuskasing. That had repercussions, such as a reduction in herd sizes initially. We were on a roll.
I'll give you some figures regarding the regional economy.
Our beef production, both in the 1990s and the early 2000s, was in the neighbourhood of $45 million worth of revenue or $50 million worth of GDP. However, the revenues then dropped to $35 million in terms of GDP. At the time, the financial impact was greater on beef production than on dairy production.
In recent years—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
I apologize for interrupting you. We're really pressed for time. Thank you so much for your time.
We'll go to the Liberals for four minutes, please.
Liberal
Marianne Dandurand Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Thank you very much.
Mr. Charuest, I'd like to start by giving you the opportunity to conclude your opening remarks.
Chair, Centre d'innovation agricole
Thank you. I'll try to be quick.
Federal budget cuts and the closure of the Quebec Research and Development Centre will lead to the dismantling of a world-class research team. At the Centre d'innovation agricole, we do technology transfer. The research results are the basis of our work. From there, we ensure the transfer. If there's no more research in sectors as crucial as forage plants, then we have nothing left to transfer, since that's really the mission of the Centre d'innovation agricole.
We propose that the government transfer the forage plant expertise to the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre. There's space there, and all the research infrastructure is already in place. The centre benefits from a large plot of land, that is, 300 hectares of crops, so there's space to carry out research. This would also bring researchers closer to the collaborative ecosystem we have established with the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre since 2021. We were already working with the Quebec Research and Development Centre on the living lab, but this would also bring them closer to the university and college sector in the Eastern Townships.
We also think it would be appropriate to create a national centre of excellence in the Eastern Townships to strengthen the links between forage production and livestock, dairy and cattle production. We could work together with the national associations, such as the Dairy Farmers of Canada, Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, or the cattle producer associations like Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec and the Canadian Cattle Association. The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association and the Conseil québécois des plantes fourragères are also working with us. We already have a whole platform for working together.
At the beginning of my speech, I mentioned 175 producers. Over the past five years, we have seen that when we support producers in innovation, they embrace innovation more easily. When we leave their businesses, the innovation stays on the farm. Producers are open to innovation, they're mobilized and they only ask us to support them. That's really the role that the Centre d'innovation agricole wants to play. The unfortunate closure of the Quebec Research and Development Centre will give us an opportunity to somewhat reshape the scene in Quebec.
Liberal
Marianne Dandurand Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Thank you, Mr. Charuest.
I'm going to follow up with you, because what I'm hearing is really a desire to reconnect with both the university sector and the college sector, given that you're in the professional sector. You're talking about the industry, which is also present, and you mentioned Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's research centre.
In committee, the minister talked about his desire to better coordinate and support innovation in agriculture. I hear you talking about a national centre of excellence. Are you suggesting some kind of pilot project? What role could the federal government play in that?
Chair, Centre d'innovation agricole
We already do technology transfer. If we decide to set up a pilot project, we will definitely want to work together to implement it. The federal government's role will be to support us financially. There are surely similar models, not in research, but in technology transfer.
When it comes to transfers, it's certainly important to have producers around the table, but it's also important to have research. That's why I find it a shame that world-class expertise is being let go, particularly when it comes to forage plants. This is a sector that hasn't always been supported by the industry, which means that we often rely on results from the United States.
If Canada wants to stand out in northern agriculture, now is not the time to abandon research, especially in such an important field.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Michael Coteau
Thank you so much.
We're going to Mr. Lemire. He's going to have six minutes. He gave up his two minutes in the last round, and we gave an extra two minutes to each group.
Mr. Lemire, please go ahead.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
This is a particularly interesting meeting.
Mr. Poirier and Ms. Lafrenière, thank you for being here today. I am particularly proud to see that your research is being showcased at the same time, that carbon capture can be used to enrich soils, and that northern agriculture has a particularly bright future. There's a whole connection with agroforestry, but unfortunately, we aren't here to talk about that.
Today, we're here to look at the impact of the research cuts, so instead of talking about investments, we're talking about cuts.
You're proposing some interesting solutions. Your research station in Notre‑Dame‑du‑Nord has a state-of-the-art laboratory capable of providing soil analyses to the various agricultural producers in the region and elsewhere.
During a conversation, Mr. Poirier, you told me how difficult it is for researchers to fund such projects out of their existing budgets for technical services and expertise. Would you say that universities in the various regions should receive targeted funding so that they can provide this service directly to producers?
Professor of Soil Science, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, As an Individual
Yes, absolutely.
In fact, I would say it's essential. We have facilities with equipment, a state-of-the-art analytical park and incredible potential to provide services to the community. Those services aren't linked to any official organizations, either, because we maintain scientific neutrality.
However, we're limited by the lack of research support and the lack of technical support. We need investments that would enable us to support this team and unleash our full potential to provide businesses, the public and academic colleagues with the best we have to offer.
We're currently operating at a slow pace, and our situation is precarious. As a result, it's frustrating to see that we have a real gem in our hands, but we can't make it shine as it should.