CPMA welcomes food system investments in federal budget 2026

November 6, 2026 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) BB #:153602 welcomed the recognition of food security as a critical component of a strong and resilient Canada in Federal Budget 2026, released yesterday by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

While largely announced ahead of the full budget’s release, the substantial investments in food security infrastructure and the broader Canadian food system included in the 2026 Federal Budget strongly reflect recommendations made by CPMA in its advocacy efforts and pre-budget submissions to government, such as:

• The $3.2 billion National Food Security Strategy, including: The $1 billion Food-Link Fund for the development and expansion of wholesale food terminals and regional food hubs; The $750 million Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Growth Pathway Program to support increased domestic food production;
• A renewal of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, with an additional $124 million over three years;
• An enhancement to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, including the 2027 Canada Groceries and Essential Benefit Supplement for low and modest-income Canadians;
• The Productivity Mega Deduction to allow businesses to immediately write off the full cost of a broader range of capital assets, with several eligible food supply chain examples highlighted; and
• A continued focus on enhancing trade, red tape reduction and improvements to government service delivery.

“Over the past year, CPMA has been advocating for federal support for critical food security infrastructure, including the Ontario Food Terminal and other terminals and regional food hubs,” said CPMA President Ron Lemaire. “We welcome the investments included in Budget 2026, which are a strong reflection of these key CPMA recommendations for government action to prioritize food production as a cornerstone of its Build Canada economic strategy and unleash Canada’s potential as a food superpower.”

CPMA will be reviewing the Budget 2026 in more detail in the coming days to assess its specific implications for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry and how our members can access the new supports becoming available.

“At the same time that Canadian consumers are struggling with the cost of food, businesses across the fresh produce supply chain are feeling the strain from rising fuel and input costs, geopolitical instability and a changing climate,” said Lemaire.

“CPMA will continue to engage with the government as it moves forward with its plans for the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy and Federal Budget 2026, to ensure the needs and priorities of the fresh produce supply chain are considered by decisionmakers.”