As part of the updating of the 2018-2025 Biofood Policy, the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) conducted a wide-ranging consultation with all the sector's players and partners at the start of 2024.

Against this backdrop, CIRANO included in its annual colloquium, held on February 28, 2024 in Quebec City, workshops specifically dedicated to the government partners of the Biofood Policy. Under the theme “Accelerating the transition to a sustainable and innovative biofood sector”, this symposium offered a platform for discussion to explore the sector's issues and priorities beyond 2025. Over the course of the day, participants attended presentations by CIRANO experts and took part in workshops focusing on 4 main themes: (1) ESG issues and sustainable practices in the Quebec food sector, (2) Quebecers' perceptions, knowledge and behaviours with regard to food, (3) Innovation and data: opportunities, challenges and best practices, and (4) Developing coherent inter-ministerial public policies. 

Over 80 participants attended, including some 15 CIRANO researchers and professionals, and representatives of nearly 20 government departments and agencies from Quebec and the federal government, all government partners in the Biofood Policy. 

This project report is a synthesis of the colloquium, providing a summary of CIRANO researchers' presentations for each theme, followed by a summary of the discussions held during the workshops.