At a time when food security is top of mind for Canadians, the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) has reviewed the 2025 federal election platforms to assess how well each party addresses the urgent needs of Canada’s fruit and vegetable sector. FVGC’s analysis focused on five core priorities critical to safeguarding our food supply: food security, business risk management, labour, crop protection, and trade competitiveness.

The Liberal platform demonstrates the strongest alignment with FVGC’s recommendations, including commitments to apply a food lens to the mandates of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), permanently increase the AgriStability payment cap, grow greenhouse capacity, and invest in domestic processing and trade diversification.

“These commitments tell us our message is being heard,” said Massimo Bergamini, executive director of FVGC. “But election platforms aren’t blueprints—they’re invitations. It’s our job to ensure these ideas become meaningful action.”

Other platforms also include promising elements. The Conservative platform commits to cancelling the proposed food packaging tax on fresh produce, reversing the single-use plastics ban, and reducing regulatory burden. The Bloc Québécois promotes regional food sovereignty and tax measures to support growers in Quebec. The NDP emphasizes affordability and local food systems, while the Green Party prioritizes resilient supply chains.

While no platform addresses every issue in full, several open the door to constructive engagement. FVGC will continue to advocate for policies that provide growers with the tools they need to succeed—now and in the long term.

The stakes are clear. When 25 per cent tariffs were briefly imposed on Canadian greenhouse vegetables earlier this year, Ontario growers reported $6 million in losses over just three days—roughly $2.2 million per day—while 200 truckloads per day of fresh produce faced no viable market. In a sector where goods are highly perishable, delays in support or action don’t just cause disruption, they result in immediate, irreversible loss.

“Turning platform commitments into policy takes urgency, persistence, and a clear understanding of what’s at stake—Canada’s food security,” added Bergamini. “FVGC is ready to hit the ground running with the next government to deliver real results for growers and for Canadians.”

Read about FVGC’s election priorities here.

Source: Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada April 24, 2025 news release