As climate change, food shortages, and supply-chain problems affect countries around the world, demand is growing for food that is safe, reliable, and sustainably produced. Canada is well positioned to help meet that demand.
That was the focus of the Canada Climate Week Exchange Event hosted by Carbonhound and RBC in November 2025: How to Build Canada into a Global Sustainable Food Superpower. The message was clear: Canada can lead, but only if sustainability becomes part of how food businesses operate every day, not something treated like an afterthought or “nice to have”.
Canada Is Already a Major Food Producer
Canada already plays an important role in global food markets.
- In 2024, Canada’s agriculture and food exports reached $100 billion (Government of Canada)
- The food system supports millions of jobs across farming, food processing, transportation, and retail, where 1 in 9 jobs in Canada are tied to our food system (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
So, while Canada already produces a high volume of food ingredients and the sector contributes massively to our own workforce, the global markets are shifting. Both local and international buyers, investors, and governments increasingly expect food to be produced in ways that protect land, water, and the climate.
This means Canada’s advantage has to come from quality, trust, and sustainability, not just the amount of raw ingredients we grow and export like wheat and corn.
Expanding Canada’s Food Processing Capabilities and Technology
To truly build a more sustainable and strong food system, Canada needs to focus on its processing capabilities.
To truly scale farm-to-table, Canada needs more investment and capacity in food processing and manufacturing. This increases food security locally while increasing the value of global exports.
Sustainability Communication Is Becoming Part of Core Business, Even if Sustainable Practices Have Been Used for Years
One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation is that sustainability is no longer a separate program. It is becoming part of core business decisions, and companies need to find ways to communicate this.
Sustainable food systems also have economic, social and climate benefits – not just production gains.
Climate goals influence budgets and investments
Companies choose suppliers based on environmental standards
Climate risks are treated like financial risks
- Boards and senior leaders are expected to oversee sustainability
Canadian companies have often been practicing sustainable practices for generations, but there is new language required to describe it – and to pass along that knowledge to new farmers and growers.
By sharing these stories and prioritizing sustainable suppliers, sustainability is becoming part of how companies plan, spend, and manage risk — just like safety, quality, or cost control.
From Small Pilots to Everyday Operations
For some companies, sustainability initiatives are treated like small projects or experiments. It’s time for this to evolve from pilot projects to embedded into a company’s DNA.
Across food and agriculture, ideas like lower emissions, less waste, and better use of resources are becoming part of daily work.
Basic principles like farming methods that improve soil health and reduce emissions, using data to reduce water, energy, and fertilizer use, cutting food waste and reusing materials where possible, and processing food closer to where it is grown to reduce transport are common sense sustainability for both environmental and financial gain.
These initiatives are not just good for the planet. They also make food systems more stable, efficient, and cost-effective.
Using Data and Technology to Enable Change and Support Private & Public Investment in Sustainable Practices
Private and public funding enables farmers, processors, and retailers to invest in sustainable systems. Policy and public education are also key to promoting manufacturer responsibility and consumer health, but none of this happens without the data to back it up!
As Canada transitions to a more well-rounded, sustainable food economy, this modern food system will rely on good data. From usage data to environmental data and financial returns on capital projects, technology now helps food companies:
- Track their suppliers and get a detailed look at their supply chain
- Understand where ingredients and supplies come from, and what the environmental and financial impacts are
- Measure emissions and resource use on an ongoing, real-time basis
- Share information across supply chains and industries
- Make smarter long-term decisions & investments with clear ROI
- Quantify the climate impact of their products to protect key accounts and their reputation
When sustainability data is treated the same way as financial data, it becomes easier to manage, improve, and scale.
This is how sustainability moves from a “bonus” to a critical part of business.
Everyone Has a Role to Play, and Conversations Like These are Critical
The conversation ultimately stressed that no single farmer, company, department or group can build a sustainable food system alone.
Real change requires teamwork between farmers & growers, food manufacturers & processors, brokers and buyers, retailers, banks & investors, governments, schools & educators, and NGOs.
Importantly, having conversations raises awareness about how people can get involved in Canada’s food system.
And What if We Get it Right?
- Canada’s food exports become more reliable and resilient
- Farmers, rural communities, and the Canadian workforce benefits from long-term growth
- Canadian food maintains and builds its strong global reputation
- Climate risks are reduced across the supply chain, creating a more sustainable world for Canadians and beyond
Ultimately, sustainability is no longer an afterthought. It is becoming a basic part of how modern food businesses run, and the key to long-term success for Canada’s food industry.
Canada has the land, knowledge, and people needed to lead. The next step is to fully integrate sustainability into everyday decisions across sectors so Canada can feed a healthier world for generations to come.