Project Description
Fairtax is an industry leader in obtaining government funding in Canada. Our dedicated team of Funding Specialists understands the intricacies of government grant and incentive programs, optimally positioning your organization to secure government funding. We cut through the confusion, uncovering the specific financial resources that allow you to focus on growing through innovation, training employees, and taking your operations to the next level.
Canada Agricultural Partnership – Ontario
The Canada Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a five-year, $3 Billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector – a key area of economic growth and job creation – to deliver the greatest benefits for farmers, food processors and Canadian families.
Funding
Grant values can range from $5,000 – $200,000 (25% – 50% Contribution Ratio)
Deadline
Application deadline is May 6, 2019.
Program Guidelines Summary
- Asset Ownership – Processors must retain ownership of the assets for at least 2 years from the expiration date of the Contribution Agreement
- Leasing – Lease costs towards the principal value are eligible costs; however, financing costs are not eligible
- Merit Based – Approval decisions are made based on the Merit Assessment Criteria for each project category
Processor Streams
Funding
- 25% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $250,000
- $1,000,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors seeking to enhance labour productivity and improve business results by implementing:
- New or novel technological and equipment upgrades (adopted by fewer than 20% of the Ontario sector to date) or;
- Technological or equipment upgrades at Northern Ontario or Indigenous Partner businesses, which may or may not be new/novel in Ontario
- Required documentation:
- Audit, assessment or productivity implementation plan that demonstrates the need and impact of the project in addressing current deficiencies, opportunities or risks
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Capital expenses and installation or configuration costs directly related to improving labour productivity with new, automated advanced manufacturing, robotic equipment and technology and/or software systems
- Development of new (or translation of existing) manufacturing policies, feedback systems, preventative maintenance procedures and standard operational procedures (ex. processing standards, preventative maintenance routines, and employee scheduling systems)
- One-time costs associated with training key personnel on project-related new equipment, technology and software systems
- One-time labour costs specifically required for the project, such as third-party advisory fees
- One-time costs for rental facilities, processing equipment or machinery required specifically for the project
Funding
- 35% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $100,000
- Approximately $290,000 in eligible costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors seeking to put in place software systems that will streamline and integrate business applications and contribute to improved business results
- Required documentation: Enterprise Resource Planning or supply chain audit/assessment showing need for project, conducted internally or by a consultant or business advisor
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Resource management plan implementation that involves evaluation, procurement, development, and customization of new ERP/supply chain optimization systems (ex. directly related advisory services, software and hardware involved with installation and customization)
- First-time development of reports or dashboards that integrate meaningful metrics and benchmarks related to resource management, supply chain and productivity performance
- First-time costs to implement a supply chain optimization that improves compatibility and interface with training partners
- One-time costs associated with training personnel on new project-related systems
- One-time labour costs specifically required for the project, such as third-party advisory costs
- One-time costs for rental facilities, processing equipment of machinery required specifically for the project
Funding
- 35% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $75,000
- Approximately $215,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors wishing to significantly increase their sales by developing new products or processes
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Third-party advisory costs for product and process development activities including:
- Scale-up trials
- Testing or analysis to verify and complement the development process
- Capital expenses and installation or configuration costs related to:
- Acquiring new processing equipment and technology
- Retrofitting or modifications of existing processing equipment and technology
- First-time training of key personnel on new, project-related equipment and processes
Funding
- 35% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $75,000
- Approximately $215,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors wishing to increase ingredient efficiency and reduce waste by implementing:
- New or novel technologies (adopted by fewer than 20% of the Ontario sector to date);
- Technology or equipment upgrades in Northern Ontario and Indigenous Partner businesses, which may or may not be new/novel in Ontario
- Required documentation: Audit, assessment or productivity plan, showing need and impact of the project in addressing current deficiencies, opportunities or risks
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Costs of input and waste measurement, metering and monitoring equipment, including modification and improvements to existing systems
- Costs of software and reporting systems directly related to input and waste measurement, metering and monitoring equipment
- System installation, calibration and optimization of input and waste measurement, metering and monitoring equipment
- First-time activities and advisory services
- Capital expenses and installation or configuration costs directly related to achieving input efficiencies and waste reduction with new automated, advanced manufacturing, robotic equipment and technology and/or software systems
- One-time labour costs specifically required for the project, such as third-party advisory fees
- One-time training of key personnel on project-related new equipment, technology, and processes
- One-time costs for rental of facilities, processing equipment or machinery required specifically for the project
Funding:
- 50% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $75,000
- Approximately $150,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Food processors with fewer than 100 employees that are implementing or improving food safety and traceability systems and practices to a recognized standard by writing programs and standards and purchasing related equipment, upgrading facilities, conducting laboratory testing specifically required to reduce food safety risks, and initial food safety certification.
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- In-kind time (to a maximum of $2,000 in cost-share funding per project) or third-party costs to develop written policies, procedures, schedules and records, concerning:
- Personnel and handling (worker practices)
- Cleaning and sanitizing
- Water treatment and testing
- Pest control
- Preventative maintenance and calibration
- Facility interior and exterior (e.g., facility environment)
- Shipping and receiving
- Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) or Preventive Control Plan (PCP)
- Product recall
- Traceability (ability to trace product and/or attributes through the facility and/or supply chain)
- Process controls (e.g., procedures that indicate the minimum internal product temperature and the minimum holding time that produce lethality)
- Existing written food safety and traceability systems
- Other food safety and traceability practices (e.g., management commitment, food defense)
- One-time labour costs specifically required for the project, such as third party advisory fees
- Third-party costs for a qualified individual to develop or perform validation studies, examples include:
- Validation of control measures outlined in HACCP plans or PCPs
- Validation of cleaning and sanitizing, water treatment and allergen programs
- Validation of food safety process control measures (e.g., fermented sausage)
- Shelf life studies
- Cost of acquiring scientific and technical documentation to demonstrate that the control measures can control the identified hazard to a specified outcome. Examples include: scientific journal articles or other published scientific literature; Health Canada guidelines, processing authority documents, instructions or research; written information from industry experts or consultants; university extension publications
- In-plant studies, research or evaluation of historical data
- Reference to legally defined Critical Control Points (e.g., thermal processing for the pasteurization of milk)
- Testing performed by an accredited laboratory to obtain validation results
- Equipment and associated training to operate the equipment for the implementation of written food safety programs or traceability systems
- Costs related to supporting or managing information sharing networks (e.g. cloud-based subscription costs, one-time dedicated project staff), limited to the duration of the project
- Initial GS1 Canada costs, limited to one-time company Prefix Licence expense, initial activation and one-time annual fee with national product registry (does not include initial individual product registrations)
- Barcoding systems, automated product identification systems
- Capital costs (building or production site upgrades) to support the implementation of written food safety and traceability systems
- First-time certification audit from an internationally or nationally recognized program or scheme (e.g., GFSI, Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP))
Funding:
- 35% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $75,000
- Approximately $215,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors wishing to significantly increase their export sales in existing or new markets by implementing a comprehensive export marketing plan
- Required documentation:
- Market research analysis supporting entry into the specific export market;
- Sales targets and assessment of other potential business impacts
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Implementation of a marketing plan for entry into a new export market, or introduction of a new product within an existing export market for an agri-based bio-product, food or beverage
- Shipping costs for a tradeshow product samples that are not intended for resale
- One-time labour costs specifically required for the project, such as third-party advisory fees
- One-time costs for rental facilities, processing equipment or machinery required specifically for the project
- Travel meal and costs
Funding
- 35% cost-share up to a maximum grant of $50,000
- Approximately $145,000 in eligible expenditure costs to maximize grant request
Overview
- Processors wishing to significantly increase their product sales in Canada by implementing a comprehensive business or marketing plan
Eligible Activities & Expenditures
- Implementation of a business or marketing plan to expand or maintain domestic market access, or access a new market for an agri-based bio-product, food or beverage
- Shipping costs for tradeshow product samples that are not intended for re-sale
- One-time labor costs specifically required for the project, such as third-party advisory fees
- One-time costs for rental of facilities, processing equipment or machinery required specifically for the project
- Travel and meal costs