Internet connectivity issues, technology and labour shortages are impacting Canada’s ability to keep food costs low and to play a key role in global food production, according to a new report.

A typical grocery bill in Canada rose by approximately 170 per cent from 2000 to 2020, outpacing the general inflation rate, the new report by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) says. The ICTC is a not-for-profit that specializes in advancing Canada digitally.

Grocery prices will continue to rise because of production costs, global supply issues, COVID, oil prices and climate change, according to the report.

Climate change in Canada is expected to add 32 days to the growing season in the next 80 years, meaning the country needs to adapt technologically to take advantage of this increase.

Ways that technological improvements such as drones, computers, robots and AI, could make food production more efficient include; ensuring crops are planted in areas where there’s better soil and water supply, tracking animals, increasing food safety, and developing new types of food. If Canada’s agri-food industry adapts new technologies, food sustainability and its production efficiency could be improved, which Canada needs now, the report says.

“Some of the barriers (we found) for adaptation to the technology were costs, lack of high-speed internet and skilled labour (to help operate that technology),” said Maya Watson, ICTC research and policy analyst.

“Connectivity is the number one issue for some farmers, then the equipment and finding the people to operate the equipment,” Watson said. One third of people working in the agri-food sector who were surveyed said access to high-speed internet was their biggest technological barrier, Watson added.

READ MORE: Rural Canadians still lack high-speed, reliable internet: report

The agriculture sector has steadily added jobs over the last 10 years, which is expected to continue. The report suggests that up to 683,000 workers, up from 634,000 currently, could be employed in the agri-food technology business by 2025.

Trying to fill agri-tech jobs is a challenge, Maryna Ivus, ICTC manager of labour market research says, because employment in other fields for those who have technological skills is more lucrative.

“The (agriculture) sector is well positioned for growth. … we need to build a talent pipeline for digital and business skills (and invest),” Ivus said.

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