"The food sector already contributes more than 8 percent of Canada’s gross domestic product and is directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs. But it can become even more successful if our producers capture a larger share of the growing international food market, said Michael Bloom, Vice-President, Industry and Business Strategy. "Taken as a whole, the food sector has the potential to be among the foremost export industries for Canada."
Highlights
- The food sector is already contributing more than 8 percent of gross domestic product to Canada's economy.
- Canada has the potential to become one of the top five global exporters of food.
- Emerging markets offer the best opportunities for growth in exports.
The Canadian Food Strategy outlines several action items that could make Canada a food-exporting superpower.
- Expand presence in existing and emerging markets, including new markets.
- Link aid and trade to address the challenge of global food security.
- Negotiate multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements to improve exporters’ access to international markets.
- Develop high-quality national, provincial, and regional food brands and product specializations for wide sale internationally.
- Build a Canada Brand to reinforce food brands and products using positive images of Canada’s natural environment and culture and our reputation for product quality and safety.
For example, increasing Canada’s production of food and export levels must be done while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. And improvements in diet and the success of food-related population health efforts will reduce the incidence of chronic disease, which will, in turn, reduce pressure on the health care system.
The Strategy sets out the eight goals and more than 60 desired outcomes, and provides 110 action strategies that can help to achieve them.
To encourage implementation efforts and to track progress, the Conference Board’s Centre for Food in Canada intends to continue its work on promoting the Canadian Food Strategy through three initiatives:
- establish the Canadian Food Observatory to monitor progress in the food sector and measure progress in achieving the goals of the Strategy.
- produce an Annual Report Card: Food in Canada— Performance and Potential summarizing the progress made in the previous year, using metrics established by the Observatory.
- undertake further research on new and emerging issues.
For more information
Conference Board of Canada
Brent Dowdall
Associate Director, Communications
613-526-3090 ext.448
[email protected]
www.conferenceboard.ca
