Information about what we eat is important but one crucial aspect of food labels and our food supply remains obscured – Canadians are unaware that the foods they are buying likely include genetically engineered ingredients, often referred to as genetically modified organisms or GMOs. With many detailed ingredient and nutrition labels mandated on food packaging in Canada, Canadians are accustomed to evaluating the nutritional content of what we eat. We deserve the right to know if we are consuming GMOs, too.
GMOs are pervasive in our food supply due to the widespread use of genetically modified (GM) corn, canola, and soy ingredients in processed foods. Dalhousie University estimates that more than 75 per cent of all food products sold in Canada contain at least one GM ingredient1. Many farmers view GM crops as a necessary innovation for their farm to survive. GMOs that alter the DNA of plants allow the more frequent use of herbicide sprays and gives plants the ability to fend off pests to obtain higher yields, but the lack of transparency on the use of GMOs is unsettling for consumers. For more than twenty years, public opinion polls have found that the vast majority Canadians want mandatory GM food labelling2. Some Canadians are concerned about food safety and environmental impacts, and some have ethical concerns. Most just want to know what is in the food they’re eating.
GMOs were introduced in Canada in 1995. Now, more than two decades later, our food labeling regulations haven’t been updated to account for these GMOs — making it impossible to spot GMOs in products on grocery store shelves. This is especially concerning because it means the government also has no way of tracking GMOs in our food system and monitoring for possible negative health impacts. There is no plan in sight for this to change. This raises questions about Canada’s readiness to adapt our labelling practices to the evolving landscape of new technologies in our food supply.
If we care about the well-being of Canadians, we need to ensure consumers have the tools they need to make informed choices. We're seeing new labelling regulations for items such as supplemented foods and new front-of-packaging label requirements for foods high in fat, sugar and or sodium coming into effect in 2025. The same regulations should apply to GMOs in our food. Other developed countries, such as the United States, Australia, and the European Union, each have some form of labelling regulations to disclose GMOs in food, but Canada is falling short.
In the absence of mandatory GMO labelling, some food companies go the extra mile to provide consumers with a non-GMO choice. At the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), many of our members (who make up a large portion of the natural, organic and wellness food brands you see on store shelves) voluntarily go through rigorous and costly third-party processes to certify their products as non-GMO, either through the Non-GMO Project or the Canadian Organic Standards.
Providing transparency shouldn't be optional. We can only make informed choices about our food when we have the right tools. This call for transparency is not an argument against GMOs but a plea for a system that gives consumers agency over their choices. We want to empower individuals to make choices aligned with their values and that build trust in the food industry and Canadian regulations. As the discussion about GMOs and their role in our food supply continues, let's champion transparency as the foundation of a healthier, more informed, and more accountable food system. It's time to unmask genetically modified food and embrace a future where consumers can confidently make choices about the food they eat.
2 Polls on GM Food Labelling in Canada. Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN). https://cban.ca/gmos/issues/labelling/polls-on-gm-food-labelling-canada/
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