Senate Review: Government Response to Soil Health Report

Official title: Examine and report on the government response, dated November 5, 2024, to the thirteenth report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, entitled Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health, deposited with the Clerk of the Senate on June 6, 2024, during the First Session of the Forty-fourth Parliament

open Policy & Studies Agriculture & Food Environment & Climate
The Senate Agriculture Committee is examining how the federal government responded to its landmark report on soil health. The original report, 'Critical Ground,' argued that healthy soil is essential for Canada's economy, environment, and food security. Now senators want to know: did the government take the recommendations seriously?

Why This Matters

Healthy soil grows the food you eat. It filters your drinking water. It stores carbon that would otherwise warm the planet. If Canada's soil degrades, food prices rise and farms struggle. This review checks whether the government is actually protecting this invisible but essential resource.

What Could Change

If the committee finds the government response inadequate, it could push for new soil protection policies. This might mean funding for farmers to adopt soil-friendly practices, new regulations on land use, or national soil monitoring programs. The committee's findings could shape agricultural policy for years.

Key Issues

  • Did the government adequately respond to the soil health recommendations?
  • What actions has the government taken to protect Canada's soil?

How to Participate

  1. Contact the committee clerk at agfo@sen.parl.gc.ca or call (613) 222-4096 to inquire about submitting a brief or appearing as a witness.
  2. Watch committee meetings live or view recordings on SenParlVu.

Key Documents