Canada's food system is increasingly being called on to do more. It must produce more food, that is more sustainable, produced with fewer resources and that is more affordable. Sustainability can be hard to define in the face of these demands. It is even more challenging considering Canada's role in a global food system, where Canada is a major exporter and importer of food. Understanding these challenges, and opportunities, is essential to understanding the future of food system sustainability in Canada and around the world.
Tyler McCann is the Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. A national agri-food think tank, CAPI leads policy analysis on emerging agri-food issues, engages stakeholders in dialogue, and advances public policy. His career in agri-food policy includes working for federal ministers, farm groups, industry associations and agri-food businesses. Tyler operates a beef and goat farm with his wife and kids in Western Quebec.