City of Lacombe and Lacombe County form joint task force and advance coordinated advocacy in response to announced closure of the Lacombe Research and Development Centre

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).

Earlier this week, the City and County established a joint task force comprised of elected and senior administrative leadership to coordinate advocacy, engagement, and communications related to the proposed closure. The task force includes the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the City of Lacombe, the Reeve and Deputy Reeve of Lacombe County, and senior staff from both municipalities, including economic development leadership.

“This is not an abstract policy decision—this is a major disruption to agricultural research capacity and to families in our region,” said Mayor Thalia Hibbs. “The Lacombe Centre has been a pillar of innovation for 119 years, and the research underway today is more relevant than ever to food security, climate resilience, and productivity. We are working with urgency and with partners at every level to have this decision reviewed.”

The municipalities are collaborating closely with MLA Jennifer Johnson and MP Blaine Calkins, along with industry partners and stakeholders. In recent days, the task force has met with industry representatives and research partners, including representatives from the Lacombe Centre and Western Crop Innovations, to confirm impacts and to ensure advocacy efforts are grounded in current, factual information.

Importantly, the Lacombe Centre is not a legacy site. It is actively delivering high-value, applied research today—over $5 million in research projects in recent years, with multiple projects underway through late 2026. Current work includes disease resistance and monitoring, production efficiency, crop and livestock genetics, and practical pathways that support a net-zero beef target.

“Our concern is the national consequence of losing publicly funded agricultural research capacity,” said Reeve John Ireland. “In a time of global uncertainty and trade volatility, Canadian competitiveness depends on research that supports producers, strengthens food systems, and improves productivity. If capacity like this is dismantled, it is difficult—and in some cases impossible—to rebuild.”

The City and County have scheduled meetings with federal officials within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to discuss the impact of the closures and to advocate for the decision to be revisited. The task force has also requested meetings with Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation to address provincial implications and potential supports.

The municipalities have jointly communicated that the proposed closure would have significant impacts on employees and families, and would undermine the long-term value of specialized land bases and long-term trials that cannot simply be transferred without loss of continuity and data value.

The City of Lacombe and Lacombe County will continue to provide updates as confirmed information becomes available and as advocacy efforts progress.