In Canada’s system of governance, legislators grant ministers the authority to enact regulations to administer laws that their departments and agencies are responsible for enforcing. In the agriculture and agri-food sector, these regulations are intended to ensure the health and safety of consumers and agricultural workers and to contribute to the reputation for high quality that Canadian products enjoy internationally. The sector is an important part of the Canadian economy, generating 7% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing 2.3 million people , while also ensuring the country’s food security
through a resilient food value chain. Poorly written, duplicative, or overly prescriptive regulations can, however, make producers and firms less competitive, stifle innovation, and prevent the sector from reaching its full economic potential, while encouraging imports that are not subject to Canada’s burdensome system.
On 9 July 2025, the President of the Treasury Board instructed cabinet ministers to review the regulations that departments and agencies in their portfolios enforce in order to “eliminate red tape—including removing outdated regulation, reducing duplication with provincial rules, and making it easier to access and deliver services” and to report on the results of their reviews within 60 days. On 8 September 2025, the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Red Tape Reduction Office published these progress reports on its website.
On 18 September 2025, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (the Committee) adopted a motion to undertake a study on the government’s regulatory reform initiative in agriculture and agri-food at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, with a focus on identifying where
reforms can be expedited, where costs to producers and processors can be reduced without compromising health or trade, and where political leadership is required to move forward on long-standing files[.]
Between 25 September 2025 and 6 November 2025, the Committee heard from 47 witnesses including agriculture and agri-food stakeholders, federal officials, and policy matter experts. This report summarizes their testimony and recommends further actions on regulatory reform for federal policymakers.
