Governments partnering to boost innovation in food mfg. and production

TORONTO – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $22.6 million, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), to expand production capacity and boost energy efficiency in the agriculture and food sector.

The Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative is supporting 319 farming and agri-food businesses to help them invest in innovative technology, equipment or processes that will expand production capacity or enhance efficiency. This government support combined with cost-shared investments by the sector is expected to generate up to $61 million in production investment improvements in the industry.

“There’s a growing demand for the top-quality products being produced here in Ontario,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “With support through the Sustainable CAP, this funding will help provide farmers and the agri-food sector with the tools they need to boost productivity, increase efficiency, and keep feeding the world.”

“Our government knows that supporting innovation in Ontario’s agriculture and food sector is key to it reaching its potential, while securing our collective ability to achieve the ambitious goals in our Grow Ontario Strategy,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “These investments will allow established and emerging businesses to speed up efforts to optimize their operations and support growth for our agriculture and food sector.”

Some examples of investments made through this initiative included:

• Up to $49,000, for Roelofsen Nursery, in Norwich, to purchase an electric self-propelled sprayer for field nursery crops.
• Up to $45,000 for Byler Enterprises Ltd., in Algoma District, to install reverse osmosis equipment for maple syrup production that concentrates sap, reducing boiling time and required energy, while improving syrup quality.
• Up to $100,000, for Solmaz Foods, in Etobicoke, for a refrigeration and freezer investment to enhance energy efficiency and capacity.

This investment supports the Grow Ontario Strategy’s objectives of increasing production and consumption of food grown and prepared in the province by 30 per cent by 2032 and boosting the economic impact of Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing sector by 10 per cent.

“We are proud of our 65-year heritage in Toronto as a crucial food maker in Canada’s agricultural supply chain. We welcome the ATII program’s investment in our efficiency and productivity, as it will help enable our continued long-term competitiveness,” says Cyril Ryan, Senior Vice President, Redpath Sugar Ltd.