Canola is one of the four genetically engineered crops grown in Canada. Canola is Canada's most second valuable crop, after wheat. Almost all the canola grown in Canada is genetically engineered. Widespread contamination from GE canola has eliminated organic canola in most areas of Canada (non-GE canola is grown on Prince Edward Island for export to Japan).
In the 1970's public sector scientists and plant breeders in Canada developed canola when they bred out the “harmful” components of rapeseed through the slow process of traditional selection breeding. (Rapeseed is a member of the highly diversified brassica family, along with the mustards, brussels sprouts, cabbage and turnips. It was not considered edible because it contained high levels of glucosinolates and eurucic acid.) In 1995 the first genetically engineered canola was introduced on to the Canadian market - this was the first GE crop released in Canada.