CAN: FVGC welcomes food lens commitments in Spring economic update

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) has welcomed targeted measures in the federal government's Spring Economic Update 2026 that recognize the importance of applying a food lens to federal regulatory decision-making.

The Spring Economic Update announces the government's intention to amend the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Pest Control Products Act to include consideration of food security. It also proposes to raise $24 million over four years, beginning in 2027-28, and $9 million per year ongoing, to enable Health Canada to expand economic analysis capacity and optimize review processes for pest control products.

"FVGC has consistently called for federal decisions to be made through a food lens," said Carla Ventin, Interim Executive Director, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada. "Food security depends on resilient growers, including their ability to access the crop inputs they need when they need them. That means regulations must continue to protect health, safety, and the environment, while also recognizing the real-world impacts of regulatory decisions on Canadian farmers."

For fruit and vegetable growers, timely and predictable regulatory decisions are essential. Growers face increasing pressure from rising input costs (including fertilizer and fuel), labour shortages, extreme weather, pest and disease pressures, and global competitiveness challenges. When regulatory systems do not account for food security or competitiveness, the impact is ultimately felt across the food supply chain.

The government's proposed amendments also align with recent recommendations from the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, which called for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (PRD) (formerly the Pest Management Regulatory Agency) to consider economic impacts and food security in regulatory decisions while maintaining health and safety standards.

"Applying a food lens at the CFIA and PRD is an important step toward a more responsive regulatory system, and we urge the government to act quickly on implementation," added Chris Duyvelshoff, Chair of FVGC's Crop Protection Advisory Group. "FVGC looks forward to reviewing the details as they become available and working with the government to ensure these commitments translate into practical improvements for Canadian growers. Implementation must reduce barriers rather than adding new costs or uncertainty for the sector."

The Spring Economic Update also re-states the government's commitment to developing a National Food Security Strategy. FVGC will continue to advocate for a strategy that recognizes the central role of domestic fruit and vegetable production in Canada's food security.