$150,000 grants available for the Ontario agri-food sector.

Funding Overview

Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream

This stream is aimed at identifying and addressing market and supply chain challenges driven or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is meant to help you complete a resiliency analysis for identifying supply-chain gaps/areas of weakness and developing an action plan for priority areas.

Agri-Food Supply Chain Infrastructure Investment Stream

This stream is aimed at helping acquire the equipment and assets necessary to grow capacity in a manner that meets the increased demand for Ontario grown and produced food products.

The funding is meant to support near term investments in infrastructure that builds production capacity and helps address market and supply chain challenges.

Eligible Applicants

1. Ontario agri-food organizations that are not-for-profit organizations representing Ontario agri-food businesses (for the Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream only)
2. Ontario agri-food businesses
   • farms that supply Ontario food processors with their products
   • farms with production and on-site agri-food processing activities
   • food processing businesses that source a significant portion of agricultural inputs from Ontario farms

Eligible Activities

1. Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream
   • Capital improvements to expand capacity (including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and/or mobile facilities and/or construction of new buildings at existing or newly acquired sites and/or mobile facilities), for the purpose of processing, aggregating, storing and value-adding Ontario agricultural products;
2. Agri-Food Supply Chain Infrastructure Investment Stream
   • Upgrades to utilities (including water, electric, heat, refrigeration, freezing, and waste facilities);
   • Livestock intake and storage equipment;
   • Growing, processing, and manufacturing and storage equipment and construction;
   • Packaging and handling equipment (including sealing, bagging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment);
   • Additional warehouse equipment (including storage and drying/curing racks);
   • Purchase of waste treatment/management equipment (including tanks, blowers, separators, dryers, digesters, and equipment that uses waste to produce energy, fuel, or industrial products);
   • Facility reconfiguration (including contract labor and materials for changes necessary to meet social distancing guidelines);
   • Technology that allows increased capacity (to meet unanticipated demand) or business resilience (including software and hardware related to business functions, robotics, logistics, inventory management, plant production controls, temperature monitoring controls);
   • Consulting and technical assistance, including engineering and construction planning, land use planning, facility design and configuration planning, and other services that directly supports the implementation of the project;
   • Leasehold improvements to rented buildings or facilities;
   • Cost of purchase of goods including supplies, and shipping costs to deliver same;
   • The following are considered eligible costs, but will be assessed for eligibility by AAC based on a reasonable rationale that the cost will be necessary to support the success of the Applicant’s project:
   • Equipment leases and rentals, including principal costs (less any fees, interest, or charges);
   • Costs to commission new equipment or to modify/relocate existing equipment (infrastructure and commissioning); and,
   • Other costs that are, in the AAC’s sole and absolute discretion, direct, incremental and necessary for the successful completion of the Applicant’s project.

Funding Details

• Applicants may apply for up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $50,000 per project.

• You may apply for up to 25% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $150,000 per project.

Deadline

Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream - Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. (EST)

Agri-Food Supply Chain Infrastructure Investment Stream - Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. (EST)