Issue
Agriculture & Food Security
Federal agriculture jurisdiction shares with the provinces under section 95 of the Constitution Act, 1867. Federal levers: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, the federal AgriStability and AgriInvest income-support programs, and the supply-management regime for dairy, poultry, and eggs. The 2023 Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is the 5-year ($3.5 billion) federal-provincial-territorial framework. Active 2024-2025 files: Bill C-282 of 44-1 (royal assent 2024 — supply-management protection in trade negotiations under Department of Foreign Affairs Act), Bill C-275 of 44-1 (Health of Animals Act biosecurity / ag-gag bill at report stage), Bill C-355 of 44-1 (live horse export by air ban, royal assent December 12, 2024), and the Canadian Dairy Commission tariff-rate-quota administration that turned into a US flashpoint in the renegotiated CUSMA agreement.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Quebecois defends Quebec's supply-management system covering dairy, poultry, and eggs (Quebec accounts for approximately 47 percent of Canadian dairy production), pushed for and obtained Bill C-282 (Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act amendment, S.C. 2024, c. 9 royal assent June 13, 2024) that prevents the federal Minister of Trade from committing to further supply-management concessions in trade negotiations, defends the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) as a model of agricultural representation, and supports federal funding for Quebec dairy farmers as compensation for CUSMA and CETA market-access losses (the federal government allocated $1.75 billion over eight years to dairy farmers in 2019).
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre voted in favour of Bill C-282 (Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Act amendment, S.C. 2024, c. 9, royal assent June 13, 2024) preserving supply-management protections in trade negotiations, supports the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Dairy Farmers of Canada as economic constituencies, calls for federal funding under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) 2023-2028 at $3.5 billion over five years to remain at current levels rather than expansion, supports Canadian agriculture exemption from federal carbon-pricing (currently the carbon-pricing-greenhouse-fuel-exemption framework applies to farm fuels), and pushes for faster federal Canadian-Food-Inspection-Agency approval timelines for new pesticide and animal-feed products.
Source The federal Green Party calls for federal action on food sovereignty including support for the Local Food Infrastructure Fund expansion (currently $200 million over five years through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), reinstatement of the Canadian Wheat Board single-desk authority for grain marketing (eliminated 2012 by the Harper government), expansion of the Income Tax Act intergenerational farm-transfer protections (the 2024 budget's Bill C-208 capital-gains-rollover for farms passed to children), Canada Organic Standard enforcement funding, and a National Food Policy implementation budget separate from agriculture-program funding under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) 2023-2028.
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney passed Bill C-282 (Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act amendment, S.C. 2024, c. 9 royal assent June 13, 2024) preserving supply-management protections in trade negotiations, signed the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) 2023-2028 with provinces worth $3.5 billion over five years, launched the $1-billion National School Food Program over five years (2024 federal budget, targeting 400,000 additional children fed annually), supports the federal Local Food Infrastructure Fund ($200 million over five years through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), and reinstated the 2024 budget Bill C-208 capital-gains rollover for intergenerational farm transfers to family.
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh has called for a federal Grocery Code of Conduct made mandatory under statute (the voluntary version was released June 2023 with major-grocer commitment to a Grocery Code Adjudicator role; the NDP wants it codified). Supports the National School Food Program (delivered through the 2024 federal budget at $1B over 5 years targeting 400K children), opposes the Smith UCP Alberta's livestock-handling regulation rollback, supports expansion of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, federal financial assistance for Canadian farms transitioning to lower-emissions practices (Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership 2023-2028 $3.5B), and the Canadian Wheat Board single-desk authority restoration (eliminated 2012 by Harper).
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- PL 95Municipal43rd Legislature of QuebecIn committee
An Act respecting agro-environmental risk reduction
Quebec agro-environmental risk reduction (pesticides, runoff).
- PL 38Municipal43rd Legislature of QuebecThird reading
An Act respecting the protection of agricultural lands
First comprehensive update to Quebec's agricultural-lands protection regime since 1978.
- S-230Federal45-1Second reading
An Act respecting the development of a national strategy for soil health protection, conservation and enhancement
National strategy for soil health protection and conservation.
- Bill 42Provincial67th General Assembly of Prince Edward IslandSecond reading
Environmental Protection (Carbon Sequestration) Act
PEI farmer payment for verified carbon-sequestration practices (cover-cropping, no-till, agroforestry).
- C-273Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Fertilizers Act, the Seeds Act, the Pest Control Products Act and the Food and Drugs Act
Streamlines federal agriculture inputs (feeds, seeds, pesticides) for faster registration.
- Bill 30Provincial66th General Assembly of PEISecond reading
Land Protection Act Amendments
Restores tighter restrictions on absentee and corporate land ownership in PEI. Protects agricultural land prices.
- C-237Federal45-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Fisheries Act (Atlantic groundfish fisheries)
Atlantic groundfish fisheries amendments.
- C-202Federal45-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management)
Supply management protection in Department of Foreign Affairs Act.
- C-208Federal45-1First reading
An Act to recognize a national livestock brand as a symbol of Canada and of western and frontier heritage
Recognizes a national livestock brand as a Canadian symbol; cultural recognition of the role of the West in agriculture.
- C-421Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a national food cooperative strategy
National food cooperative strategy supporting member-owned food retail, distribution, and processing co-ops.
- S-287Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (interswitching)
Extends rail interswitching for grain shippers.
- C-355-44Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to prohibit the export by air of horses for slaughter (44-1)
Live horse export ban (44-1 alt).
- C-282-44Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs Act (supply management) (44-1)
Supply management protection (44-1 alt).
- C-407Federal44-1First reading
An Act to recognize a national livestock brand as a symbol of Canada and of the role of the West and frontier culture in building our nation
National livestock brand as Canadian symbol.
- C-355Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to prohibit the export by air of horses for slaughter and to make related amendments to certain Acts
Bans the export of live horses by air for slaughter abroad. Senate companion S-270 had broader scope.
- C-275Federal44-1Report stage
An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act (biosecurity on farms)
Creates a federal offence for entering a farm without permission if it could expose animals to disease. Critics describe it as 'ag-gag' legislation.
- C-282Federal44-1Report stage
An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management)
Supply management protection in trade negotiations.
- C-234Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act
Carbon-pricing carve-out for farm propane and natural gas.
- C-359Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Seeds Act and the Pest Control Products Act (provisional registration and approval)
Adds a provisional-registration pathway for new agricultural inputs under the Feeds, Seeds, and Pest Control Products Acts.
- S-227Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act to establish Food Day in Canada
Establishes Food Day in Canada.
- C-287Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Pest Control Products Act (glyphosate)
Pest Control Products Act amendments on glyphosate.
- C-258Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the Fisheries Act (closed containment aquaculture)
Phases out open-net salmon aquaculture for closed containment.
- C-251Federal44-1Second reading
An Act respecting the development of a federal framework on the conservation of fish stocks and management of pinnipeds
Federal framework on fish stocks and pinniped management.
- C-203Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting soil conservation and soil health
Soil Conservation Act PMB.