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 related to new processing equipment or retrofitting existing equipment, technology, and software systems to increase automation and labour productivity, and costs associated with installation and configuration
• Modifications to existing equipment or technology for optimization, or to enable installation of automation and labour-saving equipment and technology
• 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)
• Waste stream processes, equipment, or technology upgrades to reduce wastewater or other wastes (ex. ingredients or finished product)

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 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 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 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

• Improving existing equipment, or implementing new technology, with respect to ingredient/waste measurement and metering/monitoring equipment
• Software systems and capital expenses related to retrofitting, upgrading, modifying and acquiring new technology, equipment, and processes (ex. systems installation, calibration)
• First-time training of key personnel on new, project-related equipment and processes

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)
  • Other food safety and traceability practices (e.g., management commitment, food defense)
• In-kind time (to a maximum of $2,000 in cost-share funding per project) or third-party costs to modify, existing written food safety and traceability systems (e.g., HACCP to a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked scheme, traceability to meet GS1 standards)
• 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 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 including the development of promotional materials, in-market product introduction, sales/marketing promotion activities, etc.
• One-time costs for labour, rental facilities, specific one-time processing equipment/machinery costs required specifically for the project

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

• Costs associated with implementation of a business or marketing plan that may include the following:
• In-market product introduction, demonstration, sales/marketing promotion activities;
• Lab or pilot sample product development for market purposes including market research, tradeshows or specific events