The Ontario government is investing up to $25 million over two years to build up the province’s food processing capacity.
The new Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund Program, which was announced in the 2021 Fall Economic Statement, to increase the province’s food processing capacity, strengthen its food security and position the agri-food sector for economic growth.
The application process will officially launch April 1.
With aging food processing plants that are limited in their capacities to expand, the Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund will support industry investment in projects that address the processing capacity shortage and increase the sector’s competitiveness and resilience against future disruptions.
Agri-food businesses are eligible for up to $3 million in cost-share funding to either build new processing facilities, expand or modernize existing facilities and adopt new innovative technologies to improve current operations.
In 2020, there were 4,527 food and beverage business locations in Ontario.
