Federal and Ont. government investing in maple syrup production

TORONTO – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $1 million through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) to support the productivity and growth of businesses in the province’s maple syrup sector.

The Maple Production Improvement Initiative is supporting 77 maple syrup producers with cost-shared funding to support a range of activities to enhance their operations. The initiative supports the purchase and installation of upgraded equipment for eligible syrup producers, that will increase productivity, efficiency and growth, such as reverse osmosis or remote monitoring systems. It also provides funding to cover a portion of woodlot management activities, including tree marking and the development of a forest plan, to assist the operation of eligible businesses.

“Ontario’s maple syrup producers work hard to produce top-quality products that are enjoyed around the world,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This funding will help them to increase efficiency and upgrade their equipment to keep their maple businesses growing.”

“Maple syrup is a quintessentially Canadian treat and this program is designed to expand the size, efficiency and competitiveness of Ontario’s maple syrup sector,” said Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. “Through the Maple Production Improvement Initiative, we’re working to increase production, supporting specific growth targets laid out in our Grow Ontario Strategy.”

This initiative was developed following discussions with sector businesses. It builds on other actions the government has taken to support the overall growth of the agriculture and food industry, such as recent investments of up to $12 million through the Grow Ontario Market Initiative, up to $25 million through the Agri-tech Innovation Initiative and more than $68 million through the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative.