KING CITY, ON, June 22, 2026 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is focused on building a stronger economy and making life more affordable for Canadians. Today, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, highlighted the launch of the National Food Security Strategy in King City, Ontario.

Backed by more than $3 billion in investments over 10 years, this strategy will drive productivity and innovation, support independent grocers, and create greater competition across Canada's food system to help lower prices for Canadians.   

Minister Hodgson outlined the Strategy's four main objectives:

1. Spur grocery store competition and create more choice for Canadians
   Canada's new government will invest $1 billion in food infrastructure – including new and expanded food terminals and hubs – to help independent grocers buy and move competitively-priced products without relying on supply networks owned by large retail chains. Additional funding will also provide the Competition Bureau and Competition Tribunal with more resources to investigate, prevent, and combat unfair business practices.
   
   
2. Boost domestic food production across Canada
   For decades, we've been paying other countries to convert what we already have into what we really need. This Strategy changes that. This Strategy launches a new $1 billion Agri-food Project Finance Fund through Farm Credit Canada (FCC), and a $150 million Food Security Fund to help Canadian businesses grow, produce, and process more food in Canada. The Strategy will also create a $100 million Collaborative Food Innovation Fund to help producers make better use of what they already grow – expanding processing so more parts of each crop are used, and so more value is kept in Canada.
   
   
3. Grow fruits and vegetables year-round
   We will invest $750 million to drastically expand year-round Canadian production of fruits and vegetables, through greenhouses, vertical farms, and other enclosed growing spaces, including in rural and Northern communities. The Strategy will reduce reliance on long, costly supply chains by expanding local food production.
   
   
4. Cut red tape across the agricultural supply chain
   To reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and producers, we will modernise key regulations; speed up approvals for seeds, feed, fertilizers, and veterinary products; and reduce backlogs that slow down the system. This will help farmers access the tools they need sooner, increase productivity, and stabilise the food supply. The Strategy will also help provincially licensed food businesses meet federal requirements so that a Canadian- product made in one province or territory can more easily reach a shelf in another.

A country's sovereignty depends on its ability to feed itself, fuel itself, and defend itself. And right now, Canada is not fully in control of our own food system. Our overreliance on foreign suppliers has left us vulnerable to global shocks – to conflicts overseas, to droughts, and to tariffs. Our new National Food Security Strategy is about changing that. It is about putting Canadians back in control of what we grow, of what we buy, and of what we put on our tables, so that we can build a truly strong, affordable, resilient Canada for all.

Quotes 

"The National Food Security Strategy is about giving Canadians greater choice, control, and access to affordable, locally produced food. Through this made-in-Canada approach we will be able to process more of what our farmers grow, creating new jobs, economic opportunity and more food self-sufficiency. By reducing red tape and helping innovative businesses get projects off the ground faster, we will unlock new opportunities for farmers, food processors, and entrepreneurs across the agri-food sector."

-  The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"The National Food Security Strategy will strengthen our entire food system from farm to table, so residents of King City and beyond can purchase and enjoy more affordable, locally produced food. By supporting innovation, upgrading infrastructure, and improving how food moves across the country, we are creating new opportunities for producers and ensuring a more resilient future for Canada."

-  The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

Quick Facts

• The Strategy builds on federal measures already helping lower everyday costs for Canadians, including:
• Eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time homebuyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing it on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.
• Making the National School Food Program permanent, providing school meals for up to 400,000 children each year and saving participating families with two children in school an estimated $800 annually on groceries.
• Cancelling the federal consumer carbon price effective April 1, 2025, helping lower gas prices in most provinces and territories by around 18 cents per litre compared to 2024-25.
• Launching the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, providing a family of four up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years, and a single person up to $950 this year and about $700 a year for the next four years – reaching more than 12 million Canadians.
• To support Canadians while building a stronger domestic food system, the government is also:
• Providing $20 million to food banks and community food organisations across the country through the Local Food Infrastructure Fund's Community Support Stream.
• Through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Regional Development Agencies, the Government will call on industry leaders inviting them to put forward projects to improve the resilience and self-sufficiency in food processing by building new capacity, modernizing existing capacity and strengthening our support infrastructure. The Strategic Response Fund is to launch an early wave of its call for proposals in June 2026, followed by a second wave in the fall of 2026, in conjunction with Regional Development Agencies.
• Delivering immediate expensing for new or expanded greenhouse construction, providing upfront tax relief to help boost the domestic supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Reforming the Nutrition North Canada program to improve food-related access, affordability, and long-term sustainability in Northern communities.

Additional Links 

• National Food Security Strategy
• National Food Security Strategy - placemat

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada