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AAFC launches new round of Living Labs initiative

On July 14, Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food, announced the creation of nine new living labs across Canada. As farmers and Canadians face the brunt of the impacts of climate change, these new living labs will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen the climate resiliency of our nation’s food systems.

With an investment of $54 million under the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – Living Labs program, this first wave of new collaborative projects will take root in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. It also marks the first Indigenous-led living lab by the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.

Each living lab will focus on identifying innovative technologies and on-farm management practices that can be adopted by farmers nationwide to tackle climate change. The solutions developed will also help protect biodiversity on farms, improve water and soil quality, and, through the efficient management of resources, strengthen farmers’ bottom lines.

“For generations, Canadian farmers and researchers have been finding new ways to protect natural resources while making production practices more efficient,” Bibeau said. “By working together, they are creating innovative research-based solutions that can be applied to real-world challenges on the farm. Our efforts are accelerating the sector’s ability to respond to climate change, all while working to ensure global food security.”

Building on the success of the previous Living Laboratories Initiative introduced in 2018, this next generation of living labs uses the same collaborative approach to agricultural innovation. They bring together farmers, scientists and other stakeholders to co-develop, test and monitor new practices and technologies in a real-life context, breaking down barriers between research and practice on the farm. Where the previous initiative tackled a wide range of environmental issues, the new ACS-Living Labs program focuses on reducing greenhouse gases and sequestering carbon.

The aim is to have at least one living lab in each province, and details on the next set of projects will be announced in the coming months.

The way we use and manage the millions of acres of farmland across Canada will play a key role in addressing climate change and feeding the world. By encouraging and supporting collaboration within the sector, the Government of Canada is committed to growing the nation’s food systems in a green and sustainable way, boosting our economic recovery, and enhancing our significant contribution to the world’s food supply.