Canadian Meat Council Launches New Strategic Plan, Quality the World Trusts
Nov. 9, 2026 (Ottawa, Ont.) — The Canadian Meat Council (CMC) released Quality the World Trusts: Securing the Competitiveness of Canada’s Meat Value Chain, its new strategic plan for 2026 to 2029. Developed through the CMC’s Board of Directors, the plan sets out how the Council will advocate for, support and prepare Canada’s federally licensed red meat packers and processors over the next three years.
Canada’s red meat industry is the largest component of the country’s food processing sector, generating $35 billion in annual economic output and supporting more than 250,000 good-paying jobs across the country. The new plan is anchored in the CMC’s vision that Canada is a trusted global leader in providing safe, high-quality meat at home and abroad.
“This plan sets a clear direction for the Canadian Meat Council and the work we will do on behalf of Canada’s red meat industry over the next three years,” said Kyle Larkin, President & CEO of the Canadian Meat Council. “Our focus is on strengthening the CMC, ensuring the industry’s story is heard through coordinated advocacy and engagement, and better preparing our members to navigate an increasingly complex policy, regulatory and trade environment. We have an important role to play in advancing the competitiveness of Canada’s meat value chain, and I’m excited about what we can accomplish together.”
The plan concentrates on three strategic directions:
- Strengthen our Council by deepening engagement, growing our membership, and improving how we communicate with members and the public.
- Share our industry’s story with one clear voice.
- Prepare our industry for what lies ahead with stronger evidence-based ideas, a proactive policy agenda, and crisis coordination in place before we need it.
“Our members are a diverse group of businesses, but they share a common goal: to provide Canadians and global customers with safe, high-quality meat,” said Dr. Sylvain Fournaise, Chair of the CMC Board of Directors. “For more than a century, the Canadian Meat Council has served as the national voice of Canada’s red meat processing sector. This strategic plan builds on that legacy, providing a clear direction for how we will strengthen our organization, advance the industry’s interests and support its long-term competitiveness. The Board is optimistic about what we can achieve together, and we look forward to working with our members, committees and partners across the value chain to bring this plan to life.”
The full strategic plan is available at meatcouncil.ca.
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About the Canadian Meat Council
For more than 100 years, the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) has represented Canada’s federally licensed red meat packers and processors, alongside the suppliers of goods and services that support them. CMC members represent an industry that generates $35 billion in economic activity, supports more than 250,000 jobs across the country, and exports over $11 billion in red meat products annually to more than 90 countries. As the national voice of Canada’s red meat processing sector, the CMC works to strengthen the industry’s competitiveness at home and abroad, while advancing a regulatory environment that supports the highest standards of food safety, animal welfare and sustainable production.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Julia Pennella
Canadian Meat Council (CMC)
647-987-1934 | julia@meatcouncil.ca
