Ottawa confirms closure of 119-year-old Lacombe research centre
The federal government will not reverse its decision to shut down the Lacombe Research and Development Centre, despite a House of Commons committee recommendation to keep it open.
Why it matters
The closure will eliminate more than 100 jobs and end 119 years of federal agricultural research in central Alberta.
The federal government has decided not to revisit its plan to close the Lacombe Research and Development Centre (LRDC), disappointing local officials who had pushed for a reversal. The LRDC Joint Task Force said the decision came despite a recommendation from the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food that the closure not proceed.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada first announced the closure of the 119-year-old facility in January 2026 as part of a broader round of cuts to research facilities across the country, citing cost savings as the reason. More than 100 people work at the centre and are expected to lose their jobs once the closure is finalized.
Lacombe County Reeve John Ireland called the decision disheartening but not entirely unexpected, saying local leaders had worked with producers, researchers, industry groups and government partners to demonstrate the value of the centre's work. Lacombe Mayor Thalia Hibbs echoed that sentiment, saying the decision does not diminish the importance of the research done there.
The task force said it recently met with Alberta's Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Tara Sawyer, and remains encouraged by ongoing discussions with the province about potential partnerships involving the University of Alberta, Western Crop Innovations and Results Driven Agriculture Research. Officials say they will continue working with stakeholders to explore ways to preserve agricultural research capacity in the Lacombe area.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.