OTTAWA — The federal government will not reverse a decision to close several agricultural research facilities across the country, a move the opposition Conservatives are calling a threat to Canada’s food security. In May, the House of Commons committee on agriculture and agri-food recommended in a report that the government keep open seven agricultural research centres and experimental farm sites that it planned to close as part of a government-wide cost-cutting exercise. In a response to that report released this week, the government says the decision to close the sites reflects a deliberate shift to prioritize “investment in research expertise and activities” over operations and maintenance costs. It says the site closures won’t mean the end of all scientific activities undertaken by them and 17 research centres remain open across the country. The Agriculture Union and the National Farmers Union said in a news release Tuesday that they’re “deeply dismayed” by the federal government’s lack of action. Conservatives on Wednesday called the government’s response to the committee report “a betrayal of Canadian producers and a threat to food security,” arguing Ottawa is destroying the scientific infrastructure required to keep food affordable and safe for Canadians. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026 Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
