FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, April 29, 2026 – The Agriculture Union cautiously welcomes the federal government’s announcement of a National Food Security Strategy in the Spring Economic Update. But the strategy appears incoherent: how can the government commit to food security while simultaneously laying off nearly 600 CFIA employees?
“Canadians deserve safe, healthy and affordable food,” says Milton Dyck, National President of the Agriculture Union. “Our members at the CFIA are committed to delivering on this promise. But they can’t do that while the CFIA is being slashed beyond its limits. With Carney announcing this strategy, but staying on course with the cuts, clearly one hand is not talking to the other.”
Earlier this month, a media scandal revealed that major grocery store giants have been overcharging Canadians on underweight meat. The CFIA is the agency responsible for stopping this kind of abuse, but how can it do that with a shrinking workforce? Reinvesting in food inspectors would help bring food prices down, yet the government has given no indication that it intends to do so.
“Fewer people doing the same workload at the CFIA doesn’t spell efficiency for Canadians,” continues Dyck. “It means more food safety crises down the line.”
The government is planning a potentially major reboot of Canada’s food safety system—but workers are being left out of the equation. A robust food safety system isn’t just about inspections today, it’s about long-term public research, science, and the expert workers who have shepherded that system for generations.
“Amending the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act to include considerations of food security and the cost of food is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. The government cannot write workers out of the picture. Workers respectfully request a seat at the table—and real investment in the people who make food safe in Canada: more inspectors, more lab technicians, and more scientists. Otherwise, these are just empty promises.”
The Agriculture Union represents 4,000 employees at the CFIA, out of a total workforce of 6,400. In January, the Carney government announced plans to eliminate 587 jobs at the CFIA following its comprehensive expenditure review.
For media requests, please contact Aaron Lakoff, Communications Officer for the Agriculture Union: LakoffA@psac-afpc.com, 343-596-4400