Closure of the Sainte-Foy agricultural research centerDaily news

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is closing its research and development center in Quebec City after 58 years of operation. The decision stems from recent budget cuts announced in Mark Carney's government budget.

Employees at the research center, located on Hochelaga Boulevard in Sainte-Foy, learned the bad news on Thursday morning.

According to a letter obtained by Radio-Canada, they were invited to a mandatory meeting for all staff regarding an important announcement about the Quebec City site. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the reductions resulting from the comprehensive spending review will affect their workplace.

Representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada essentially confirmed that the center will be closing in the coming months. The exact date of the closure is not yet known.

Research conducted at the Quebec City research center focused on improving agricultural productivity and sustainability in cold and humid climates, as well as environmental performance.

Devastated employees

The news came as a bombshell to the team at the specialized research center in Quebec City. We are devastated, said one staff member. 

According to reports obtained in the last few hours, ministry officials simply read a letter to employees before ending the meeting after about ten minutes, without further ado. 

The news came as a bombshell to the team at the specialized research center in Quebec City. We are devastated, said one staff member. 

According to accounts obtained in the last few hours, ministry officials simply read a letter to employees before ending the meeting after about ten minutes, without further ado. The news was delivered to us brutally, said one employee. 

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, did not provide any explanation on Friday.

The Quebec City research and development center is located in the riding of Louis-Hébert, represented by Minister Joël Lightbound. I know this announcement is causing concern in Quebec City, and my thoughts are first and foremost with the employees affected, he said Friday in a written statement to Radio-Canada.

However, as Minister of Government Transformation, he defended the cuts announced by the Liberals. 

The new government was elected with a clear mandate: spend less to invest more. We are rigorously reviewing all public spending and making responsible choices in order to be more effective for all Quebecers and Canadians, he argued. 

According to Quebec's lieutenant for the Carney government, the federal government remains fully committed to scientific research in agriculture despite this decision. Each province, he said, will continue

to have a research center, and several employees could be retained, reassigned, or relocated. 

Key expertise will be preserved to ensure continuity of work and ongoing support for the agricultural sector.

A terrible day

Across Canada, 665 positions will be cut at the department, the federal government confirmed. The Agriculture Union, which represents some of the workers at Agriculture Canada, condemned the announced cuts. 

Yesterday was a terrible day for our members at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Many learned that they could lose their jobs in the coming months, according to a written statement from the union.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has relied on a network of about 20 research centers across the country. The network will be reduced to 17 after the cuts. In addition to Quebec City, sites in Guelph, Ontario, and Lacombe, Alberta, will also be eliminated. Four satellite farms will also be closed in Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada, Quebec Region (PSAC-Quebec) represents about 30 affected employees at the research center in Quebec City. 

It's unfortunate. [...] In an unprecedented tariff context, and at a time when we are trying to ensure our independence and food security, the government is closing the research center that would improve dairy production while limiting environmental impacts, said Sébastien Paquette, executive vice president of PSAC-Quebec.

This decision is deeply troubling to the workers affected and weakens the public expertise built here in Quebec.

The announcement also sparked strong emotions at Laval University, which has long collaborated closely with federal researchers to advance agri-food research. 

It is still difficult to gauge the possible consequences of this announcement on the Quebec City region's strong research and innovation capabilities in the agri-food sector, according to university officials. 

Many of our students have benefited from high-quality supervision thanks to projects co-directed with Agriculture Canada researchers, including certain associate professors at Laval University. The Center is an integral part of our scientific ecosystem.

Budgeted

The federal government had already announced its intention to review its agricultural research programs. The latest budget included cuts of $507 million over three years at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

This department will close certain programs, including the Living Labs for Agricultural Climate Solutions. It will also reduce certain scientific activities in order to improve long-term profitability, according to the budget tabled in November. 

To achieve the targeted savings of up to 15% over three years, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will refocus its programs, scientific research, and operating expenditures to better align its activities with government priorities, the document added.

Disappointing, says the UPA

Quebec's Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) expressed disappointment with the federal government's decision to cut funding for agriculture.

We are being asked to be productive and sustainable in the face of climate change. Research and innovation are the foundation for moving forward. This will have a direct impact on our sector, said UPA President and CEO Martin Caron. The Quebec City center was particularly involved in research on these issues, he said.

He points out that the living labs recently developed by Ottawa, which are also facing budget cuts, were welcomed by the community. Researchers and producers were enthusiastic about working in this way to develop concrete projects in the field.

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