The Future of Agri-food Event Series is convening key Canadian thought leaders to explore Canada’s role in the future of the agri-food system, and the key opportunities and challenges facing the sector. The series is jointly convened by the Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value and the Ivey Academy. The primary goal is to build awareness in key networks (executive leaders in business and finance) concerning key opportunities and challenges in agri-food for Canada, especially the critical issues associated with a just climate transition.
What's next in the Series?
Coming Soon
Past Sessions:
The Future of Agri-food: Canada's Leadership Opportunity
Panelists
- Scott Ross, Executive Director at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
- Alison Sunstrum, Founder and CEO of CNSRV-X, and General Partner at The51
- Tyler McCann, Managing Director at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute
The first session of the series was held in October 2023. Panelists unpacked Canada’s position in the global agri-food market. Speakers identified the key opportunities and challenges facing Canadian agri-businesses, and explored how Canada can be a leader in the future of agri-food. The event was widely attended by industry representatives, researchers, and other affiliated groups in the agricultural sphere.
Regenerative Agriculture: The Role of Finance & the Value Chain
Panelists
- John Uhren, Managing Director, Sustainable Finance at BMO Capital Markets
- Charlie Angelakos, Vice President, Global External Affairs & Sustainability at McCain Foods Ltd.
- Diane-Laure Arjaliès, Associate Professor, Managerial Accounting and Control, General Management & Sustainability at Ivey Business School.
The second session of the series was held in January 2024. The session included the launch of a new Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value Report – Advancing Regenerative Agriculture in Canada: Barriers & Enablers – supported by the Institute for Sustainable Finance. The report provides a state of play of regenerative agriculture in Canada, and the opportunities and enablers for scaling regenerative practices from the perspective of key stakeholders in the agri-food system. The session featured expert analysis from McCain Foods, a global food industry leader in incentivizing and supporting farm suppliers to adopt regenerative practices, and from BMO, one of Canada’s leading banks, actively focusing on investment in sustainable agriculture.
The session tackled critical questions relating to regenerative agriculture as a key pathway for systems change: Why is adopting regenerative farming practices important for the food industry? How can we better align finance and incentives for sustainable practices across the value chain? What are the key enablers to unlock investment at scale in sustainable and regenerative agriculture? What barriers need to be overcome? How can the government’s new Sustainable Agriculture Strategy support private investment in sustainable agriculture?
Circular Food Economy: Canada's $50 Billion Opportunity
Panelists
- Julie Poitras Saulnier, CEO and Co-founder of LOOP Mission
- Denise Philippe, Senior Policy Advisor at the National Zero Waste Council
- Jury Gualandris, Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value
The third session of the series was held in June 2024. The "Circular Food Economy: Canada's $50 Billion Opportunity" session discussed how 60 percent of the food produced in Canada is wasted – representing an extraordinary $50 billion in avoidable economic losses. Panelists discussed innovative approaches to advancing a circular food economy. explored emerging innovation for reducing, and ultimately eliminating, food waste and examined opportunities to increase the scale of practices that support the circular economy through finance and policy.
Challenging the Production Paradigm: Voices of the Farmer
Panelists
- Tannis Axten, Owner and operator of Axten Farms, Ltd.
- Blake Vince, Owner and operator of Bla-Kar Farms
- Brett Israel, Owner of operator of 3Gen Organics
- Laurel Steinfield, Ivey Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability (moderator)
The fourth session of the series was held in November 2024. In this session, we heard directly from three Canadian farmers who have made the transition to regenerative practices, integrating sustainability into their operations at various points in their farming journeys. They shared their stories on why they decided to make the change, how they navigated the journey, the challenges and opportunities they encountered along the way, and what they see as the key enablers for all producers to follow this path. The session also shed light on opportunities for policy makers, investors, and other actors in the value chain to support farmers through the transition to regenerative farming.