Federal government offers CPMA funding for a nationwide packaging pilot project

The federal government announces an investment of up to $376,200 for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), under the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP), to support the transition toward more sustainable food and produce packaging.

With the funds received under CASPP, CPMA is undertaking a national pilot project that explores effective ways for industry to migrate to using sustainable packaging design and material options that enhance recyclability or compostability. The funds are being used to develop a strategy and enable steps toward the migration.

The project will help industry better understand and characterize the food and produce packaging system in Canada, assess the impacts of various packaging options and create a deployment plan. Key stakeholders including manufacturers, packaging producers, retailers and recycling facilities will be engaged in the development of viable sustainable packaging options.

“Climate change is a great threat to our economy, our communities and our future. For this reason, our government is investing in research and innovation to help the industry transition to more eco-friendly food packaging for products such as fruits and vegetables. Consumers in Canada and around the world want more sustainable options, and we are committed to providing them,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal agriculture and agri-food minister.

“Plastics packaging is a major enabler of affordable, safe and high-quality foods in Canada. This project looks to promote systems thinking and innovation that will help shape food and produce packaging pathways, which enable the migration to fully sustainable food and produce packaging in Canada. The benefits are beyond environmental sustainability, and include the development of a new packaging circular economy, leverage composting systems across Canada, and enhance industry alignment with leading sustainable packaging in food and produce,” said Ron Lemaire, president, CPMA.