Federal government funds trade certification for micro and small food enterprises

OTTAWA — The federal government has announced a $336,858 investment to support the creation of a new certification program that will allow businesses to meet specific trade requirements, with the ultimate goal of helping smaller agricultural businesses expand their reach into grocery and food services.

The investment will specifically support GS1 Canada, a not-for-profit association that works to develop training tailored to small and micro food enterprises. The project includes learning modules and a virtual portal of resources specifically for them.

GS1 Canada stated that it plans to equip at least 200 businesses across Canada with the knowledge, tools and experience they need to prepare for trade with different sectors, including the grocery sector, distribution and food services.

After completing the certification program, micro and small enterprises will have access to other services provided through GS1 Canada for one year. A key component of this subscription for MSE’s is ensuring their products have licensed GS1 barcodes, which many Canadian retailers and distributors require. They will also have access to online tools to share quality, bilingual product data with trading partners.

“This new certification program will help small and micro businesses in the food sector meet key industry and regulatory requirements and learn essential information about trade and export,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in a statement.