Originally published on October 27, 2025 on RealAgriculture by Kelvin Heppner.
The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has decided to continue drawing down its surplus to avoid fee increases until 2028.
In 2024, the CGC announced it would use surplus funds to cover operating shortfalls until 2027. The decision announced Oct. 27 means any increase to fees for grain inspection and weighing will be postponed for at least another year, until April 1, 2028.
“We recognize the grain sector is going through a period of economic stress and want to do our part to keep costs down while ensuring we continue to deliver results to producers and industry,” says chief commissioner David Hunt, in a statement.
The federal agency’s surplus peaked in 2021 at around $156 million, mainly collected from fees for grain inspection and weighing that were ultimately borne by farmers between 2013 and 2017.
The commission has been drawing down the surplus to cover the gap between its revenue and costs since 2021.
According to the CGC, the surplus balance is projected to hit approximately $57 million by March 31, 2028.
Going back to 2017, the CGC proposed several scenarios for using the surplus. In addition to drawing down the surplus by reducing user fees, ideas included providing initial funds for setting up a producer compensation fund and investing in upgrades to facilities or testing services in the grain handling supply chain.
