Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news for farmers, seed-growers, fertilizers, ranchers, cattlemen and cattlewomen, as well as their upstream suppliers and downstream buyers in food manufacturing and processing. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Agri-Food? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Freight & Ports and Oil & Gas.

Dates: 2025-12-22 to 2026-01-18

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇨🇦 Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Provincial Government News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

CFIA Statement: Proposed Livestock Traceability Amendments

On January 10, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) released a statement addressing the ongoing consultation and development process for proposed amendments to Part XV (Traceability) of the Health of Animals Regulations. The proposed regulations, not yet finalized, are intended to strengthen Canada's livestock traceability system and close identified gaps in the current framework. Following pre-publication in Canada Gazette Part I and a subsequent 90-day comment period in 2023, CFIA summarized stakeholder feedback in a 2024 'What We Heard' report and continued its engagement with producers, industry associations, provincial governments, and other partners to ensure proposed changes are workable and maintain strong animal health protections. CFIA confirmed that publication of the final regulations will be paused until further consultation is complete. Once amendments are published, a one-year transition period and phased enforcement will be provided to support industry adaptation, with CFIA offering education and support throughout. Traceability remains central for effective response to livestock diseases and is considered critical for minimizing economic disruption and supporting Canadian competitiveness.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada and Saskatchewan Invest $9.7 Million in Crop Research

On January 13, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit jointly announced $9.7 million in funding for crop research projects in Saskatchewan. Of this, $7.2 million will support 39 new projects under the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), covering topics from subsurface drip irrigation and wheat stem sawfly resistance to drought tolerance in lentils and flax straw-based bale wrapping. The Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) will direct $2.5 million to accelerate solutions for managing herbicide-resistant kochia and wild oats. An additional $3.2 million from 13 industry partners augments this funding. The federal-provincial funding comes via the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which leverages $3.5 billion over five years to enhance the sector's competitiveness and resilience.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Federal Funding for Halal Beef Processing in Prince Edward Island

On January 9, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced up to $2.26 million in funding to Atlantic Beef Products Inc. under the Kosher and Halal Investment Program. The funding will support ABPI’s adoption of advanced processing and packaging technologies at its Albany, PEI facility, aiming to increase yield from beef products and expand halal-certified options for Canadian retailers. ABPI, among the first recipients of the program, intends to modernize operations and enhance market offerings. These investments are aligned with the Buy Canadian Policy, which encourages procurement of Canadian-made food products.

Sources: www.canada.ca

FedDev Ontario: $15 Million to Drive Innovation and Manufacturing

On January 13, Minister Evan Solomon, responsible for FedDev Ontario, announced more than $15 million in repayable investments distributed among eight Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) companies, including Imagoh Foods Ltd. and Redstone Food Group. These funds are allocated to scale domestic manufacturing capabilities, specifically for food processing, advanced manufacturing equipment, and new product development. Celplast Metallized Products Limited, for example, will receive over $1.6 million to enhance capacity for metal coatings and film products. Project details, available in the official backgrounder, indicate targeted support for competitiveness and local supply chain strengthening.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada Announces $7.1 Million for Climate Resilience Projects

On January 15, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities allocated approximately $7.1 million through the Green Municipal Fund’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative. Funding supports 80 climate adaptation projects, ranging from asset management strategies to community-wide risk assessments. Municipalities across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland & Labrador, and other provinces will undertake tailored climate action plans, risk assessments, and asset management upgrades. Notable investments include $600,000 for heat mitigation in Vancouver and $696,220 for erosion control in Barrie.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Backs 80 Municipal Climate Adaptation Projects

On January 15 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Minister Julie Dabrusin and Mayor Danny Breen of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities confirmed $7.1 million in funding for 80 municipal climate adaptation projects. Key recipients include Hare Bay, NL ($70,000 for watershed planning), Barrie, ON ($696,220 for bridge stabilization), Vancouver, BC ($600,000 for heat mitigation), and Tuktoyaktuk, NWT ($70,000 for climate risk assessment). Funding, coordination, and skills development are provided in collaboration with FCM to equip local governments for long-term climate challenges.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Unused Spectrum Licensing Framework for Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Connectivity

On January 16, Minister Mélanie Joly announced new procedures for licensing unused spectrum in rural and remote regions under the Access Licensing Framework. Indigenous applicants will have exclusive priority for 12 months beginning spring 2026 to apply for available spectrum in the 800 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz bands. After this window, general applications open in 2027. The allocation aims to boost wireless connectivity for cellular, Internet, and industry uses (including farming), lowering barriers for service providers and supporting Indigenous-led initiatives.

Sources: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases Farm Product Prices for November 2025

Statistics Canada published monthly provincial price data for November 2025, detailing producer prices for grains, oilseeds, specialty crops, cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. These updated datasets assist producers, processors, and market analysts in tracking commodity price developments.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

StatsCan Updates: Poultry and Egg Statistics, December 2025

December 2025 data on poultry and egg stocks, placements of hatchery chicks and turkey poults (for November), and egg production (for October) are now available. Trends include quantities of frozen eggs and poultry meats, as well as edible dried egg products.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

StatsCan: Oilseed Crushing and Grain Deliveries Data, November 2025

Statistics Canada released November 2025 oilseed crushing statistics and major grain delivery figures, giving processors and exporters insight into throughput and disposition.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

StatsCan: Farm Input Price Index, Q3 2025

Statistics Canada updated the Farm Input Price Index (base year 2012=100) for the third quarter of 2025. The Index quantifies changes in input costs for Canadian farmers, supporting evaluation of cost pressures across regions and commodities.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Provincial Government News

British Columbia Announces $658,000 for Smart-Farming, Drought Resilience, and Robotics Training

The Government of B.C. announced new smart-farming developments in Delta, together with two training programs for agritech and drought-resilient agriculture. Windset Farms, with partners Simon Fraser University and Wageningen University, will deploy sensor-driven crop management. Training collaborations at KPU and UFV focus on dry farming techniques and robotic weeding, with the total sector investment reaching $658,000.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

Alberta Responds to Federal Traceability Proposals

Minister RJ Sigurdson and the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation issued a statement on January 9 concerning proposed federal amendments to livestock traceability, calling for continued engagement with producers and a measured approach to regulatory updates.

Sources: www.alberta.ca

Quebec Launches Agricultural Succession Census

Quebec commenced its five-year Agricultural Succession Census on January 6, gathering responses from over 7,000 young farmers under 40 to inform future policies supporting agricultural entrepreneurship and transition.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

Nova Scotia Offers 10% Discount for Direct Sales From Local Farms

The Nova Scotia Loyal Community Supported Agriculture Incentive Pilot Program will provide consumers a 10% discount on CSA farm shares for the 2026 season, with farmers reimbursed for the discount.

Sources: news.novascotia.ca

Manitoba Government Freezes Milk Prices for 2026

Manitoba's Farm Products Marketing Council announced the regulated price of milk will be frozen for 2026, maintaining affordability for consumers and stable compensation for producers.

Sources: news.gov.mb.ca

Government Consultations

CFIA Consultation: Hatchery and Feed Establishment Licensing Fees

CFIA seeks feedback until February 11, 2026, on proposed new licensing cost recovery changes for hatcheries and feeds.

Sources: inspection.canada.ca

CFIA Consultation: Deregulation of Phytophthora abietivora

CFIA is accepting comments until January 16, 2026, regarding the proposal to remove Phytophthora abietivora from the regulated list of plant pests.

Sources: inspection.canada.ca

Consultation: Proposed Amended Livestock Feed Ingredient for Dairy Sheep and Goats

Feedback is open until January 19, 2026, on amending the description of DL-methionine hydroxy analogue isopropyl ester to expand use in feeds for lactating dairy sheep and goats.

Sources: inspection.canada.ca

Health Canada: Risk-Based Approach for Infant Food for Special Dietary Purpose

Health Canada solicits comments by January 25, 2026, on a proposed authorization framework for infant foods targeting special dietary needs.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Health Canada: Proposed Registration for Nealta Miticide

Consultation is open on the proposed registration of Nealta Miticide (cyflumetofen) to control spider mites on greenhouse ornamentals, with input accepted until January 22, 2026.

Sources: www.canada.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• Canadian agtech firm using AI to help swine, chicken farmers keep track of animal feed: Coverage of AI-enabled feed tracking tools.
• National consortium formed to accelerate Canadian pea breeding through genomic selection: Update on collaborative pea genetics research.
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalls vegan bacon product over undeclared wheat: Details on a recent CFIA product recall.
• Canadian farmers hoping Carney can find resolution to canola tariffs in China: Industry perspective on trade relations with China.
• How investments into Atlantic Beef Products will support halal meat production on P.E.I.: Report on federal funding announcement and its impact.
• Guelph researchers aim to grow local berries year-round: Jasmine Mangalaseril: Profile of year-round berry research efforts.
• National consortium formed to accelerate Canadian pea breeding through genomic selection: Genomic selection technology advances.
• Why the world has started stockpiling food again: Analysis of global food stockpiling trends.

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