Report of the committee
Thursday, December 11, 2025
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to present its
SECOND REPORT
Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, to examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:
(a) to travel inside Canada.
Pursuant to Chapter 3:05, section 1(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.
Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT BLACK
Chair
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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
Examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada
APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2026
Extract from the Journals of the Senate Wednesday, October 22, 2025:
The Honourable Senator Black moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Downe:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada;
That in particular, the committee examine:
a)the current status of food security in relation to the Food Policy for Canada created by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;
b)how the agriculture and agri-food sector could improve food security, in particular in Indigenous, Black and Northern communities, and in other rural and urban communities facing challenges with access to food;
c)the factors that influence food security including agricultural production systems, climate change, corporate concentration in the agri-food sector, among other factors related to agriculture;
d)the federal measures that are currently in place to address food security issues, especially related to farmers, local food production and food sovereignty; and
e)the potential areas of improvement of these federal measures to enhance food security;
That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2026, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report; and
That the committee be permitted, notwithstanding usual practices, to deposit reports on this study with the Clerk of the Senate if the Senate is not then sitting, and that the reports be deemed to have been tabled in the Senate.
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
Shaila Anwar
Clerk of the Senate
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SUMMARY OF BUDGET
| Activity 1: AGFO — Gatineau (Spring 2026) | $ | 280 | ||
| Activity 2: AGFO — Toronto/Guelph (Spring 2026) | $ | 26,865 | ||
| TOTAL | $ | 27,145 |
The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.
| Date | Vice-président du Comité sénatorial permanent de l’agriculture et des forêts JOHN M. MCNAIR Deputy Chair, Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry | |
| Date | Présidente du Comité permanent de la régie interne, des budgets et de l’administration LUCIE MONCION Chair, Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration |
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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
Examine and report on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada
EXPLANATION OF BUDGET ITEMS
APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2026
| ACTIVITY 1: AGFO - Gatineau (Spring 2026) | ||||||
| FACT-FINDING | ||||||
| 14 participants: 9 senators, 5 staff | ||||||
| (1 clerk, 1 analyst, 1 communications officer, 1 chair’s staff, 1 deputy chair’s staff) | ||||||
| TRANSPORTATION, ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING EXPENSES | ||||||
| 1. | Taxis | 280 | ||||
| 9 senators x $20 (0223) | ||||||
| 5 staff x $20 (0232) | ||||||
| Sub-total | $280 | |||||
| Total of Activity 1 | $280 | |||||
| ACTIVITY 2: AGFO - Toronto/Guelph (Spring 2026) | ||||||
| FACT-FINDING | ||||||
| 13 participants: 9 senators, 4 staff | ||||||
| (1 clerk, 1 analyst, 1 communications officer, 1 chair’s staff) | ||||||
| TRANSPORTATION, ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING EXPENSES | ||||||
| 1. | Transportation - train | 1,660 | ||||
| 9 senators x $20 (0224) | ||||||
| 4 staff x $370 (0227) | ||||||
| 2. | Hotel accommodation | 8,140 | ||||
| 7 senators, $370/night, 2 nights (0222) | ||||||
| 4 staff, $370/night, 2 nights (0226) | ||||||
| 3. | Per diem | 4,875 | ||||
| 9 senators, $125/day, 3 days (0221) | ||||||
| 4 staff, $125/day, 3 days (0225) | ||||||
| 4. | Working meals (travel) (0231) | 1,690 | ||||
| 5. | Taxis | 3,900 | ||||
| 9 senators x $300 (0223) | ||||||
| 4 staff x $300 (0232) | ||||||
| 6. | Charter bus (0228) | 5,600 | ||||
| (2 days, $2,800/day) | ||||||
| Sub-total | $25,865 | |||||
| ALL OTHER EXPENDITURES | ||||||
| OTHER | ||||||
| 1. | Miscellaneous costs associated with travel (0229) | 1,000 | ||||
| Sub-total | $1,000 | |||||
| Total of Activity 2 | $26,865 | |||||
| Grand Total | $ 27,145 | |||||
The Senate Administration has reviewed this budget application.
| Date | Marie-Eve Belzile, Clerk Assistant, Committees Directorate | |
| Date | Nathalie Charpentier, Comptroller and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Finance and Procurement Directorate |
APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT
Thursday, December 11, 2025
The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, for its special study on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada, as authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The approved budget is as follows:
| Activity 1: AGFO — Gatineau (Spring 2026) | $ | 1,468 | ||
| Activity 2: AGFO — Toronto/Guelph (Spring 2026) | $ | 32,722 | ||
| TOTAL | $ | 34,190 |
(including the costs related to the travel and portable interpretation devices for two interpreters for each activity)
The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity. Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel. In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings. Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be proactively disclosed. Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.
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Respectfully submitted,
LUCIE MONCION
Chair