The federal and Ontario governments are investing up to $20 million in a new initiative aimed at helping farmers, food processors and agribusinesses expand sales of Ontario-grown products in global markets.
Announced Tuesday, the funding will be delivered through the newly launched Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative, designed to strengthen competitiveness across Ontario’s agri-food sector and reduce exposure to trade disruptions, tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty.
The initiative falls under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and supports Ontario’s broader Grow Ontario Strategy, which focuses on long-term resiliency, job creation and market expansion for the province’s nearly $52-billion agri-food industry.
“Expanding markets for Ontario food products ensures farmers and food processors have more reliable export opportunities,” federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said in a provincial release. “We are building a stronger, more resilient future for agriculture by improving market access and leveraging our shared strengths.”