Election 2025: What can we expect?

Platform Analyses will be made available here once party platforms are released. Here’s where the parties stood in the last election: 

School Food

Momentum for federal school food programs had grown:

• Liberals: Committed $1 billion over five years toward a national nutritious meal program.

• NDP: Promised $1 billion over four years for a national school nutrition program.

• Bloc Québécois: Supported federal investment in Québec’s school food programs.

• Conservatives: Their platform was silent on school food, though provincial governments had supported programs.
• Greens: Had advocated for a national school lunch program in 2019 but did not include it in their 2021 platform.

Coherence Lacking on Food Insecurity

Despite rising food insecurity affecting one in seven Canadians during the pandemic, no party offered a cohesive plan:

• Conservatives: Proposed greenhouse expansion but not comprehensive strategies.

• Liberals: Conflated food waste reduction with food security, relying on charitable models.

• Greens: Advocated for food sovereignty but linked food waste to food insecurity.

• NDP and Greens: Included basic income proposals as part of economic security measures.

The Right to Food and Food Justice

No party explicitly endorsed the right to food, though:

• Liberals: Supported the right to housing but did not mention food.

• Greens: Used rights-based language across commitments.

• NDP: Highlighted systemic racism and Indigenous food sovereignty.

• Temporary Foreign Workers: All parties proposed reforms for pathways to permanent residency, with differences in scope and restrictions.

Northern Food Insecurity

Critical issues remained in Northern food insecurity:

• NDP: Committed to Indigenous food sovereignty and Nutrition North reform.

• Liberals: Partnered with Inuit to improve food security but lacked transformative action.

• Conservatives: Pledged vague improvements to Nutrition North.

• Greens: Proposed Arctic farming and local food initiatives.

Sustainable Agriculture

Election platforms addressed agriculture inconsistently:

• All Parties: Supported supply management and compensation for trade impacts.

• Liberals and Conservatives: Aimed to reform Business Risk Management (BRM) for farmers.

• Greens: Advocated replacing 30% of food imports with domestic agriculture.

• Pesticides: Bloc proposed an inquiry into industry links; Liberals promised transparency reforms.

Healthy Food

Health-focused commitments varied:

• Liberals: Planned to restrict marketing unhealthy foods to children and introduce front-of-package labeling.

• Greens: Supported healthy eating per the Canada Food Guide and a 10% tax on sugary drinks.

• Most parties failed to link food systems and health outcomes.

What has happened since the 2021 election?

School Food

• The Canadian Government allocated $1 billion over five years in Budget 2022 to work towards a national school nutritious meal program in collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners​

Right to Food

• Since the election in 2021, the Government of Canada has not mentioned a right to food 

Northern Food Insecurity

• Expansion of Nutrition North Canada (NNC): The program continues to subsidize food costs in remote and Northern areas, now reaching 125 communities. Enhancements include adding programs like the Harvesters Support Grant, the Community Food Programs Fund, and the Food Security Research Grant to bolster local food systems. These measures aim to provide affordable access to nutritious food and support traditional food practices​ (https://www.canada.ca/en/crown-indigenous-relations-northern-affairs/news/2024/10/external-review-of-nutrition-north-canada-seeks-to-enhance-food-security-in-the-north.html) 
• Policy Improvements and External Review of NNC: The government committed to an external review of NNC starting in 2025 to assess its effectiveness. This includes engaging Indigenous partners and stakeholders. Results from related research studies and a symposium on Northern food security are expected to inform program updates​ (https://www.canada.ca/en/crown-indigenous-relations-northern-affairs/news/2024/10/external-review-of-nutrition-north-canada-seeks-to-enhance-food-security-in-the-north.html)
• Budget Investments: In Budget 2021, $163.4 million was allocated to expand the NNC program and strengthen community-led food initiatives in Indigenous and Northern areas (https://nationtalk.ca/story/government-of-canada-strengthens-food-security-in-indigenous-remote-and-northern-communities-across-the-country)
• Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF): In December 2022, the government announced the fourth phase of the LFIF, allocating $19.5 million to 79 projects, with $15.1 million for Indigenous-led initiatives. (https://nationtalk.ca/story/government-of-canada-strengthens-food-security-in-indigenous-remote-and-northern-communities-across-the-country) 

Healthy Food

• Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling: The government finalized regulations requiring front-of-package nutrition labeling on foods high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fats. These new labels are designed to provide clear and easily recognizable information for consumers. The labels are meant to appear on food packaging by 2026. (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-restricting-unhealthy-food-and-beverage-marketing-to-children.html)

Sustainable Agriculture:

• Increased AgriStability Compensation Rate: Starting in 2022, the compensation rate under AgriStability was raised from 70% to 80% (https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2021/03/canadas-ministers-of-agriculture-agree-to-implement-a-key-improvement-to-the-agristability-program-to-better-support-farmers.html) 
• Flexibility in BRM Enrollment: The deadline to enroll in the AgriStability program was extended to June 30, 2022, to give producers additional time to access this safety net (https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2022/05/government-of-canada-supports-the-resiliency-of-the-agriculture-sector-by-increasing-its-capacity-to-face-emergencies.html) 
• Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP): Launched in April 2023 as a successor to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, this five-year framework involves federal, provincial, and territorial collaboration. It emphasizes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change, and improving the environmental performance of the agriculture sector. Goals include increasing the number of Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) and adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs) (https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/department/transparency/public-opinion-research-consultations/next-agricultural-policy-framework) 
• Climate Resilience Investments: Through various cost-shared programs under the Sustainable CAP, the government is supporting projects that enhance knowledge and adoption of climate-adaptive practices. Targets include reaching 10,000 participants in training programs and producing over 2,000 extension materials by 2028 (https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/department/transparency/public-opinion-research-consultations/next-agricultural-policy-framework)