Lacombe Research & Development Centre

The Lacombe Research and Development Centre Closure Response Task Force is welcoming the release of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri Food report, Science in Canadian Agriculture and the Closure of Research Centres, which includes a clear recommendation to pause and reverse proposed closures of federal agricultural research facilities, including the Lacombe Research and Development Centre (LRDC).

With AAFC research centres and programs facing closure, Canadians are being urged to speak up for the science that supports our food system and farming communities nationwide. Petition deadline is April 3, 2026.

The City of Lacombe and Lacombe County, together with regional and agricultural partners, are providing an update on federal efforts to review the proposed closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre (LRDC).

City of Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs and Lacombe County Reeve John Ireland have been invited to appear as witnesses before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri‑Food to speak on the impacts of the federal government’s planned closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre.

Today, on Canadian Agriculture Day, we celebrate the people, passion, and pride behind the food that sustains our communities. That is why the federal government’s recent decision to close the Lacombe Research and Development Centre weighs heavily on our entire region.

The City of Lacombe and Lacombe County are taking coordinated action following the federal government’s announced closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).

Lacombe County is expressing deep concern and disappointment following the federal government’s sudden announcement that the Lacombe Research and Development Centre will be closed. This long‑standing agricultural research station has been a cornerstone of innovation, scientific advancement, and community identity in Central Alberta for more than a century.