Canada leaving billions on the table by not processing more crops at home, new agri-food study says

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-22 19:22:15.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, National, Agriculture, Economy, Industry, Trade]

A report commissioned by the agri-food trade group Protein Industries Canada and prepared by Ernst & Young LLP reveals that redirecting 10 per cent of Canada’s raw crop exports to domestic value-added processing could generate up to $5.4 billion in additional GDP, $1.1 billion in government revenue, and 34,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Released during the Plant Forward trade show in Saskatoon, the study highlights sectors including human food, animal feed, ingredient processing, and bio-industrial applications, while noting that growth is hindered by regulatory inefficiencies, transportation bottlenecks, and inter-provincial trade barriers. Industry leaders like Louis Dreyfus Company Canada and Food Health and Consumer Products of Canada emphasize the need for capital investment in domestic manufacturing facilities, such as Louis Dreyfus's canola crushing and pea processing plant in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Report recommendations include establishing a scientific advisory body for novel products, investor roundtables, regional cold-storage hubs, and a two-province pilot project to eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers.