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.

In May, the House of Commons committee on agriculture and agri-food recommended the government keep open seven agricultural research centres and experimental farm sites that it planned to close as part of a governmentwide cost-cutting exercise.

In a response to that report released this week, the government said the decision to close the sites reflects a deliberate shift to prioritize “investment in research expertise and activities” over operations and maintenance costs.

“This approach was taken to improve cost efficiency, while sustaining investment in innovation that strengthens the agriculture and agri-food sector and helps grow the economy,” said the report.

The report said the site closures won’t mean the end of all scientific activities undertaken by them and 17 research centres remain open across the country.

“Every province will continue to have at least one AAFC research centre, maintaining a strong national footprint and regional coverage, while continuing to leverage expertise in other locations and within the broader ecosystem,” it said.

The House committee also recommended the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reconsider its decision to discontinue analytical work at the Longueuil laboratory. It said the facilities at the laboratory verify the compliance of nutritional information with Canadian food labelling regulations and serve as the national reference and research centre for food allergens.

In its report, the government confirmed the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will discontinue laboratory activities at the facility. It said the closure had been planned for the 2028-29 fiscal year.

“Essential functions currently performed at Longueuil will be transitioned to other CFIA laboratories and, where appropriate, supported by accredited external laboratories,” it said.

The Agriculture Union and the National Farmers Union said in a news release Tuesday that they’re “deeply dismayed” by the federal government’s decision.

A spokesperson for the Agriculture Union said the vast majority of technicians and scientists are no longer at the research centres and farms being closed, adding that some field trials are being wrapped up.

The spokesperson said the government has not provided any closure dates yet and that there are still significant equipment and resources to be reallocated.

“We still believe there is time to save these AAFC research facilities,” said Milton Dyck, national president of the Agriculture Union.

“Sadly, the research technicians working there, our members, have moved on to other jobs. But the facilities still exist. The farms and the equipment are still there.”

“In the case of the Nappan and Lacombe research farms, the livestock are still there. We urge the government to act on the recommendations of this report and to reopen these crucial research farms.”

Conservatives on Wednesday called the government’s response to the committee report “a betrayal of Canadian producers and a threat to food security,” arguing Ottawa is destroying the scientific infrastructure required to keep food affordable and safe for Canadians.

Agriculture and Agri-Food critics John Barlow and Jacques Gourde said in a statement that claiming this as an operational efficiency is “false.”

“By axing hundreds of laboratory technicians and field specialists, the government is discarding years’ worth of expertise on the front lines of agricultural science,” they said.

“Senior scientists cannot conduct the soil, crop or livestock research that protects our food supply without the technical teams that run these stations. This decision will destroy decades of innovation and research which led to breakthroughs like minimal till, canola and precision agriculture.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press