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Canadian Food Security: Beyond 150



Author(s)

Kathleen Fryer

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2134/2017.05.004

Not only necessary for survival, food plays an important social, economic, and cultural role in our lives. Globally in the 21st century, food security faces many challenges including climate change and changing attitudes surrounding food and agriculture. In Canada over the past 150 years, the role of food in society has changed. In the early 20th century, a third of Canada’s population lived on and derived their livelihoods from agriculture (Statistics Canada, 2009). Agriculture played a central role in the daily lives of Canadians. Urbanization and mechanization has allowed for more food to be produced in Canada with fewer people, to the extent that today only two percent of the population now lives on a farm. Only seven percent of Canadian land is suitable for agriculture production, yet Canada remains one of the few countries expected to continue to produce more food than it consumes in the next 50 years. The disassociation between the average Canadian and the source of their food creates unique challenges for food security that must be addressed moving forward as Canada celebrates its 150th birthday.  

food security, Canada, agriculture and climate change