Decades of underinvestment have weakened supply chains and made the cost of groceries vulnerable to disasters and geopolitical strife, the Canada Food Innovation Network said in a new report. (The Logic)

Talking point: Canada is one of the largest food producers in the world, but much of it is sent abroad for processing and packaging before it returns to domestic grocery stores and restaurants. That makes the country dependent on imports for most of its food supply, the network said. In November, the government flagged the sector as a priority and announced plans to do more processing at home and expand food exports. The network, a member-based not-for-profit focused on growing Canada’s food industry through innovation, found that less than two per cent of government-backed growth, venture and infrastructure funds go to the agri-food sector. The sector’s revenue has grown an average of 5.9 per cent year over year for the last decade, but investment has not kept pace, the network said.

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