1. Agri-Food Economic Strategy Table: Propelling the Sector Forward
February 2019

4. How it all started
Government of Canada created six Economic Strategy Tables (EST) to support innovation in potential high-growth sectors.
Agri-food sector was one of the six Tables, recognizing it as a key driver economic growth in Canada.
15 members representing all parts of value chain from primary agriculture production to food processing and fish, seafood, and aquaculture
The Tables were tasked to:
set ambitious growth targets;
identify sector-specific challenges and “bottlenecks”;
bring forward bold ideas; and
develop an action plan to achieve these goals.

5. Agri-Food EST Recommendations
Regulations: Rank in the top 10 among OECD countries for ease of regulatory burden by 2025.
Infrastructure: Rank in the top 10 among OECD countries in the World Bank infrastructure Index by Also, have 100% broadband coverage.
Labour and Skills: Reduce job vacancy in primary agriculture to 4% and food manufacturing to 2.2% by Increase female representation in food processing industry management to 50% by 2025.

6. Agri-Food EST Recommendations
Market Diversification
Proposal: Develop and diversify Canada’s agri-food markets.
Target: Canada will achieve $85 billion in exports and $140 billion in domestic sales by 2025.

7. Agri-Food EST Recommendations
Innovation
Proposal: Invest in innovation and boost competitiveness through increased automation and digitization.
Targets:
Canada will increase its food industry capital expenditures per dollar of sales by 50% by 2025.
Canada will double its food industry private-sector R&D expenditures by 2025.

8. Cross-Table Recommendations

9. Taking Action: Fall Economic Statement
Inclusion of economic growth into regulators’ mandates
Creation of Advisory Committee on Regulatory Competitiveness
Development of Centre for Regulatory Innovation
Early deliverables from Agri-food Regulatory Review
Regulations
Launch of Export Diversification Strategy, including more Trade Commissioners and exporter support
$25M/5 years for market diversification in Agriculture
Includes specific funding for work on international standard-setting bodies
Market Diversification
Acceleration of funding in National Trade Corridors Fund
Additional funding ($13.6M/3 years) for Multimodal Integrated Passenger-Freight Information System
Infrastructure
Immediate write-off of cost of machinery and equipment for manufacturing or processing of goods and for clean energy equipment; accelerated capital cost allowance for all businesses
Additional $800M to Strategic Innovation Fund with a subsequent announcement for an agri-food-specific challenge
Innovation and Investment

10. Next Steps
The Economic Strategy Tables are calling on industry and governments to work together, to be ambitious and innovative, and to “think big”.
The Government is continuing to review the recommendations in the final report and identify opportunities to act.
Industry has a key role in putting its efforts towards working to achieve the vision outlined by the Table.

11. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
-- Abraham Lincoln