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The food industry in Canada plays a huge role in Canada’s economy, with a very big contribution from unique Canadian products, many of which are homegrown. The annual fiddlehead industry, for example, is worth $2 million in New Brunswick alone. Factor in parts of the industry such as agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, and retailing and you can imagine how big a part food plays in Canada’s economic picture.

Imagine all the other contributors to the economic picture of food in Canada, such as agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, and retailing, to name but a few.

Students will research the economics of the food industry in Canada. They will examine the impact of the following on the economy:

at least 10 specific homegrown products

agricultural food products, fishing products, and the meat industry

the manufacture of food products

the top five food franchises

the top five grocery chains

the overall value of the food industry

Students will create a graphic organizer and two to three other visuals (for example, graphs, charts, posters, maps) to share their findings.

Assessment Tip
As a whole class, establish criteria for assessing student presentations based on content as well as style and effectiveness. You can add the criteria to the download sheet There’s Gold in Those Doughnuts.

Have each group present its work to the class. Encourage questioning and discussion. Ask students to assess the impact of the food industry on Canada’s economy and to consider their own opinion about whether or not the economy is overly reliant on the food industry.