University of British Columbia tool maps Canada’s reliance on imported fruits and vegetables
As Canadian leaders encourage consumers to buy local produce in response to potential U.S. tariffs, a new project from the University of British Columbia sheds light on how much Canada relies on imported fruits and vegetables—particularly from the United States.
Canada Food Flows, an interactive website developed by researchers at UBC, maps the movement of 34 key fruits and vegetables into and across Canada over a 13-year period (2010–2022). It provides unprecedented insight into the country's interconnected food supply system, illustrating how climate and trade policies may affect future food availability.
According to Dr. Kushank Bajaj, the researcher behind the tool, Canada imports 50% of its vegetables (excluding potatoes) and 75% of its fruits. Many crops are difficult to grow in Canada's colder climate, making imports essential.
Top suppliers of avocados to British Columbia
Click to enlarge
"We hope Canada Food Flows helps Canadians understand where their produce comes from and sparks conversations about how climate change and trade policies could impact future supply," Bajaj said.
The tool compiles data from production, imports, and exports to estimate the consumption and movement of 18 fruits and 16 vegetables within Canada and from foreign suppliers. The United States is the largest supplier, providing 36% of Canada's fruit imports and 67% of its vegetable imports. The tool also tracks imports from 149 other countries and highlights interprovincial food distribution.
For instance, in 2022, 81% of British Columbia's spinach, 70% of its lettuce, 31% of its tomatoes, and 75% of its onions came from the U.S. Nearly all avocados (97%) were imported from Mexico. For strawberries, 92% were sourced from the U.S. and Mexico, totaling over 31 million pounds.
By comparison, just 13% of B.C.'s spinach, 24% of its lettuce, 16% of its tomatoes, and 14% of its onions were locally grown. No avocados were produced in the province.
The tool also reveals how provinces depend on each other for food security. Ontario and B.C., for example, play significant roles in supplying produce to other regions of Canada. Interprovincial trade helps balance production gaps, ensuring a steady supply of fresh produce year-round.
Dr. Navin Ramankutty, co-creator of Canada Food Flows and Canada Research Chair in Data Science for Sustainable Global Food Systems at UBC, emphasized that Canada is not only a major importer but also a key exporter of produce. Crops such as blueberries, mushrooms, and greenhouse vegetables are shipped in large quantities to the U.S.
"This two-way dependency underscores how tariffs or climate-related disruptions could impact food security and economies in both countries," Ramankutty said.
The Canada Food Flows project originated from Bajaj's doctoral research on climate change risks to Canada's fruit and vegetable supply. The team hopes the dataset will serve policymakers, educators, and consumers, fostering discussions on sustainability.
"This dataset could expand to explore the carbon footprint of food, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, groundwater depletion, biodiversity loss, and pollution from farming practices," Bajaj noted.
Canada Food Flows was developed at UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES). The web application was built by Edgar Ondati.
For more information:
Sachintha Wickramasinghe
University of British Columbia
Tel: +1 604 822 4549
Email: sachi.wickramasinghe@ubc.ca
www.news.ubc.ca
Publication date: Fri 31 Jan 2025