A major turning point in the bio-food industry that reflects the new Quebec

Launch of the 2018-2025 bio-food policy

MONTRÉAL, April 6, 2018 – The 2018-2025 bio-food policy, Alimenter notre monde, was unveiled today, accompanied by $5 billion in investments over five years. The mission of this new bio-food policy is two-fold: to better meet consumers’ needs while simultaneously increasing support for entrepreneurs and organizations operating in this sector.

Seven principles have guided its development and will define its implementation. It is meant to be inclusive, pluralist, innovative, entrepreneurial, renewable, measurable, founded on continuous dialogue, and reinforced by a shared responsibility with partners.

It sets itself seven ambitious key goals for the future of the bio-food industry:

• Invest $15 billion in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and food processing;
• Increase Quebec’s bio-food international exports by $6 billion;
• Inject $10 billion of Quebec content into the bio-food products purchased in Quebec;
• Increase the proportion of Quebec agricultural and food processing businesses implementing responsible business practices;
• Double the surface area of farmland dedicated to organic farming;
• Increase the proportion of eco-certified aquatic products harvested in Quebec from 52% to 70%;
• Improve the nutritional value of foods processed in Quebec.

It is built around four major points:

• A product offering that meets consumers needs;
• Prosperous, sustainable and innovative businesses;
• Appealing and responsible businesses; and
• Dynamic regions that contribute to the prosperity of the bio-food industry.

Quotes:

Improving the quality of life of all Quebecers is a priority for our government. This is why we are paying particular attention to the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits, which are particularly dependent on healthy eating. This policy, inspired by best practices throughout the world, will also promote the creativity, skills and expertise of the businesses, organizations and institutions that work to feed our world. Our government dreams big for Quebec and its bio-food industry. With this policy, we are converting words into action and equipping ourselves with the means to reach our ambitions. We are proposing a major transformation that reflects the new Quebec that is taking shape around us.

– Philippe Couillard, Premier of Quebec

All of the meetings that we held over the course of the last year have made it possible for us to develop a shared vision and shared goals in order to meet consumers’ expectations and the needs of the industry. The co-development of the policy with bio-food industry partners lends it considerable support and makes it even more effective. By targeting the food supply, economic prosperity, sustainable production and the vitality of regions, this policy represents a long-term strategy. The bio-food policy stands out through its scope and its financial framework over the next five years. It has the goal of feeding our world, whether this means feeding oneself or one’s family, neighbours, village, region, province, country or the world. I invite each and every Quebecer to make it theirs.

– Laurent Lessard, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

At a time when the economy is moving towards the global and the digital, Quebec bio-food companies will be able to count on the Quebec government to help them overcome the challenges of remaining competitive. The tools provided, such as the bio-food policy and other strategies already established by the Ministère de l’Économie, will enable businesses to increase their labour force’s productivity and to reduce their operating costs, which will consequently increase their competitiveness. All of this will be completed with the goal of better meeting the needs of consumers and of future generations.

– Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier and Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation

From food producers to consumers, habits and practices have greatly evolved over the last few years. Animal welfare, environmental protection and waste reduction are a few examples of where changes have been made. Our government has also improved its ways of doing things, in particular with the recent update of environmental laws and regulations, and I am particularly proud of the reconciliation between agriculture and the environment. The policy presented today depends on this progress in order to restore the balance of sustainable development pillars and to responsibly develop the economy in all our regions.

– Isabelle Melançon, Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change

Food safety and healthy eating are two public issues that concern us all. With its stated intention of increasing the knowledge relating to food in order to be able to improve the Quebec population’s quality of life, the bio-food policy is complementary to certain cross-sectorial initiatives like the government’s preventive health policy. For example, by giving itself the goal of promoting access to healthy and high-quality food, the industry can help reduce obesity and the medical conditions resulting from obesity.

– Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living