Ontario Invests in New World-Class Dairy Research Facility in Elora

Ontario has helped to create a new state-of-the-art livestock research and innovation centre to develop new food products that are healthier, safer, and produced in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The new $25-million Livestock Research and Innovation Centre Dairy Facility in Elora is a unique multi-discipline research centre where industry stakeholders as well as staff and students from Canadian universities can collaborate on dairy-related research projects including:

• Enhancing livestock health through the use of advanced technologies
• Improving the quality of milk and meat through genetics and nutrition research
• Supporting best practices in livestock management, operational efficiencies and innovative technologies to improve competitiveness of Ontario's dairy farmers.

Through the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, the province committed $20 million to the creation of the new centre. The facility is a joint initiative between the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, the University of Guelph, and the Ontario dairy industry, represented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario. It will replace the aging dairy research facilities at the Elora Research Station, which was built in 1969.

Supporting growth and innovation in the province's agri-food industry is part of the government's plan to build Ontario up. The four-part plan includes investing in people's talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.

Quick Facts

• The dairy industry is the second largest sector in Ontario agriculture. Ontario’s 4,000 dairy farms produce 2.5 billion litres of milk each year, enough milk to fill the Rogers Centre twice, from home plate to the retractable roof. That amount of milk is worth $1.8 billion per year.

Source: OMAFRA