CHARLEBOIS: Why 2026 will force Canada to grow up on food policy |
For years, Canada treated food policy as a political shelter. In 2026, it becomes an economic test – of competitiveness, credibility, and whether we are serious about feeding ourselves in a changing world.
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As we enter 2026, several forces are converging to reshape Canada’s food economy.
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Consumer empowerment – amplified by social media – continues to accelerate, while geopolitics, particularly tensions with our southern neighbour, are becoming increasingly disruptive. Together, these dynamics will push food policy issues that once lived in technical silos into the public spotlight.
At the top of that list sits CUSMA and supply management.
Prime Minister Carney has signaled firmness on market access, backed by legislation that shields supply management from parliamentary debate. That protection, however, is unlikely to endure. Even if the United States has little genuine interest in exporting more dairy to Canada – and even if Canadian consumers show limited appetite for it – President Trump now understands, far better than during his first term, that supply management is a potent political wedge.
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