Governments Announce Available Funding to Enhance Ontario’s Agri-Food Sector

TORONTO – The governments of Canada and Ontario are still accepting applications for three initiatives designed to enhance the province’s $50.7 billion agri-food sector through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

The following three initiatives support greater workforce diversity and supply and on-farm sustainability improvements:

• Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative (deadline is December 3, 2024)
• Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative
• Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program.

“There’s no doubt that the programs under our Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement are making a real difference in the lives of our hardworking producers and processors right across Ontario,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “By helping them address the challenges they face, we’re making the sector more sustainable and competitive for generations to come."

“By 2028, $569 million in Sustainable CAP funding in a broad suite of initiatives will have flowed to Ontario’s rapidly growing agri-food sector, with over 1,500 Ontario agribusinesses already having benefitted from these dollars,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “We strongly encourage Ontario agri-food stakeholders to apply to these programs and to seize the opportunities they offer for long-term growth and competitiveness.”

More information on initiative details, delivery partners, and application requirements is available on the Sustainable CAP webpage, and can be obtained by contacting the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300, or ag.info.omafa@ontario.ca.

Sustainable CAP is a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.