Federal government defends closure of seven research facilities
OTTAWA — The federal government will not reverse a decision to close several agricultural research facilities across the country, a move the opposition Conservatives are calling a threat to Canada's food security.
OTTAWA — The federal government has reaffirmed its decision to close seven agricultural research facilities, a move that opposition Conservatives have labeled a threat to Canada's food security. In May, a House of Commons committee on agriculture and agri-food recommended that the government retain seven research centers and experimental farm sites planned for closure as part of a nationwide cost-cutting initiative.
In response to the committee's report, the government maintains that the closure decision reflects a strategic pivot towards prioritizing "investment in research expertise and activities" over routine operations and maintenance expenses. The government asserts that the site closures do not signal the end of all scientific operations, with 17 research centers still operating across the country.
Both the Agriculture Union and the National Farmers Union expressed deep dismay over the federal government's lack of action on the committee's recommendations. Conservative lawmakers criticized the government's response to the committee report as a "betrayal of Canadian producers and a threat to food security," arguing that Ottawa is dismantling the scientific infrastructure necessary to maintain affordable and safe food supplies for Canadians.
This report, covering the government's stance on the research facility closures, was originally published by The Canadian Press on September 23, 2026.
Written by urgent.news from CityNews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
