The ministry confirmed staffing reductions
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada released its plans, priorities, and spending allotments for the next three years.
The plan identifies multiple key priorities for 2026-27 and beyond.
They are:
- Building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness
- Climate change and the environment
- Market development and trade
- Resiliency and public trust
- Science, research and innovation
The ministry will work on these priorities with fewer resources.
Prime Minister Carney promised in the 2025 federal budget to reduce overall spending by 15 per cent over three years and asked ministers to find savings within their portfolios.
To help achieve this, AAFC is reducing spending by $112,248,000 in 2026-27, by $80,083,097 in 2027-28, and by $154,721,097 in 2028-29.
“It is anticipated that these spending reductions will involve a decrease of approximately 665 positions by 2028-29,” the document says.
For 2026-27, total planned AAFC spending is $3,677,569,159, with 4,801 full-time staff.
Here’s a spending breakdown of how AAFC will devote its resources to the department’s core responsibilities – domestic and international markets, science and innovation, and sector risk.
AAFC will spend $702,386,337 and have up to 548 people working on domestic and international markets.
“Efforts in 2026–27 will include promoting Canadian agriculture and agri-food, and fish and seafood products at home and abroad through market development and branding activities, addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, and maintaining and growing Canada's presence in established markets,” the plan says.
Another $780 million and 2,460 workers are earmarked for science and innovation efforts.
“AAFC will continue to fund and perform research and development that accelerates the pace of innovation, further enhancing the economic growth, productivity, resilience, and sustainability of the Canadian agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector,” AAFC says.
Sector risk receives the highest share of AAFC spending.
More than $2 billion and 396 employees will work on this file.
“The department will also continue working with federal, provincial, and territorial partners and the sector to strengthen its assurance systems and uphold stringent food safety standards, enhance traceability measures, and promote best practices in agricultural production, processing, and distribution to ensure the safety, quality, and sustainability of Canadian food products,” AAFC’s plan says.