Canada's Agriculture & Food Sectors Viewed as Key Driver of Post-Pandemic National Economy

TORONTO, April 12, 2022 /CNW/ - The fourth annual national Agri-Food public opinion poll by Grassroots Public Affairs finds almost half of Canadians (48%) believe very strongly in the sector's ability to drive the Canadian economy, post-pandemic.

With support from Food Banks Canada, Grassroots' online survey measured attitudes, direction, and intensity of public opinion on a range of issues around Canada's domestic Agri-Food sector.

While Canadians remain extremely confident (92%) in food grown or produced at home, recent price increases are driving some interesting shifts in consumer habits and attitudes:

• 71% of Canadians are opting for discounted or lower-cost items, up by a third since 2020
• More than 8 in 10 (84%) see hunger and food insecurity in Canada as a serious problem, a 25% increase since 2021
• Half the country (51%) observe that animal proteins are "significantly" more expensive this year, and yet red meat consumption is slowly on the rise, a 2% increase since 2021

"So much has changed over the past 2 years, including supply chain viability, and increasing food prices, but one thing remains the same – Canadians still believe strongly in the potential of domestic food production. There will always be challenges, but few other industries are consistently viewed as positively.  Canada's Agriculture and Agri-Food sector is resilient, and with the full support of government it stands ready to help Canada regain its economic stability," says Peter Seemann, Principal & Sr. Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs.

New questions for the 2022 poll gathered public opinion about:

• Trust in agricultural institutions when providing information around food safety or nutrition
• Farming practices today vs. the past with respect to animal rights and environmental impact
• How agriculture and agri-food is seen as a post-pandemic economic driver, in relation to other sectors of the Canadian economy

Multiple years of thorough research has reinforced Grassroots Public Affairs strong belief in the growth potential of Canada's domestic food system. We will be releasing more detailed findings including demographic breakdowns on a variety of questions in the coming weeks.

For the entire survey results please click here.

Methodology and Sample Size

The Canada-wide survey was conducted via an online panel of 1,007 Canadians 18+. Fieldwork for the survey took place between March 25th and March 31st, and the survey was offered in English and French.

SOURCE Grassroots Public Affairs

For media inquiries, please contact: Lindsay Yaciuk, Communications, Grassroots Public Affairs, [email protected], 905-715-2788