Ottawa defends plan to close seven agricultural research sites despite opposition calls over food security

The Story

The federal government says it will not reverse a decision to close seven agricultural research facilities and experimental farm sites, despite criticism from opposition Conservatives that the move undermines Canada’s food security.

The closures were part of a government-wide cost-cutting exercise and were recommended against by the House of Commons committee on agriculture and agri-food in May. In a report released at the time, the committee urged the government to keep the seven centres and experimental farm sites open.

In a response released this week, the government said the planned closures reflect what it called a deliberate shift toward prioritizing “investment in research expertise and activities” rather than funding operations and maintenance costs. The government did not indicate that the facilities would remain open, and said it would not overturn the decision.

The government also said the site closures would not mean an end to all scientific activities carried out through those facilities. It pointed out that 17 agricultural research centres remain open across Canada.

Union leaders representing agricultural workers and farmers responded with disapproval. The Agriculture Union and the National Farmers Union said in a Tuesday news release that they were “deeply dismayed” by what they described as the government’s lack of action in light of the committee’s recommendation.

Conservatives, meanwhile, characterized the government’s response as a threat to Canada’s food system and scientific capacity. In comments Wednesday, they said the response amounts to a betrayal of Canadian producers and would damage the scientific infrastructure needed to keep food affordable and safe for Canadians.

For communities tied to agricultural research and experimental farms, the planned closures raise questions about where scientists and agricultural experts will carry out work going forward, even as Ottawa insists that research activity will continue through other facilities.

The federal government’s position means the next phase will be implementing the closures while maintaining research through the remaining centres, as Ottawa frames the change as an internal reallocation of research resources rather than a withdrawal from scientific work.