Canada could add $5.4B to GDP by processing more of its crops at home: EY

Canada could generate up to $5.4 billion in additional GDP and support approximately 34,000 full-time-equivalent jobs by redirecting just 10 per cent of its raw crop exports to value-added processing here at home, according to new EY analysis released today by Protein Industries Canada.

The findings come as the federal government has made domestic food processing a national priority through its National Food Security Strategy. The strategy calls for Canada to reduce its dependence on other countries by processing more of the food it grows and sets an explicit objective to increase domestic processing to strengthen self-sufficiency and drive economic growth.

Canada already has an extraordinary foundation to build from. Its food and agriculture sector contributed $149.2 billion to GDP in 2024 and supported 2.3 million jobs, while Canada remains a leading producer of major crops including wheat, canola and corn. But too often, Canadian crops leave the country before the higher-value processing and manufacturing takes place.

“Canada is already an agricultural powerhouse. We grow some of the best crops in the world and supply global markets. The next opportunity is to capture more of the value those crops create here at home,” said Tyler Groeneveld, Chief Executive Officer of Protein Industries Canada. “This is also the kind of opportunity that can bring regions of the country together. The agricultural strengths of the Prairies, combined with capital, technology, manufacturing and expertise from across Canada, can help build something of national importance.”