Canada’s food system has evolved under pressure to constantly produce more and do so more efficiently. However, the drive for increased productivity has also led to rising levels of food loss and waste. In Canada, over half of our annual food supply is discarded. Wasted resources, economic costs, pollution and growing numbers of citizens who are food insecure underline the importance of tackling this critical public policy issue. The aim of this paper is to better understand food loss and waste in Canada’s food system and offer suggestions for policy action.