Shaping Canada’s Food Policy: CMC Alumnus Sylvain Charlebois (Class of 1992)

From the classrooms of the Royal Military Colleges to the heart of Canada’s national conversation on food and public policy, Sylvain Charlebois, CMR RMC Class of 1992, has built a career defined by rigorous analysis, public service, and thought leadership.

A nationally recognized authority on agri-food systems, Sylvain’s work sits at the intersection of food distribution, policy, and industry helping Canadians better understand the forces shaping food affordability, security, and sustainability.

Known to many Canadians as “The Food Professor,” Sylvain is a trusted and influential voice in the media, regularly weighing in on issues such as grocery pricing, food affordability, sustainability, and public policy. He is the lead author of Canada’s Food Price Report, an annual, multi-institutional study that has become a key reference for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public alike.

Beyond research, Sylvain is passionate about public engagement. He writes a regular column for Canadian Grocer magazine, ensuring that complex food system issues are accessible, evidence-based, and part of informed public discourse.

Today, Sylvain is a professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he specializes in food distribution, food policy, and supply chain dynamics. He is also the Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, an interdisciplinary research hub focused on food pricing, food security, and industry resilience.

His academic leadership includes serving as Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University from 2016 to 2018, as well as senior academic roles at the University of Guelph and the University of Regina. He is also a co-founder of the Arrell Food Institute, reflecting his commitment to evidence-based research and collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers.

From the CMC’s to the national stage, Sylvain’s career reflects the values of intellectual rigour, leadership, and service.