Food Processing Program: a new opportunity for Quebec businesses

Starting July 20, 2026, the MAPAQ Food Processing Program opens a new funding opportunity for Quebec food processing businesses. If your company is planning automation, a new production line, certification or modernization, this opening may help reduce the cost of a project already on the roadmap.

The program targets projects that strengthen productivity, competitiveness, food quality and environmental performance. The opportunity is not about finding an expense to subsidize; it is about checking whether an existing business project could be better supported.

What this opening can make possible

• Move an investment forward: productivity, production capacity or operational modernization.

• Respond to workforce pressure: automation, robotization and process digitization.

• Strengthen quality and market access: management systems, certifications and food safety requirements.

• Support broader-impact projects: environmental performance, collective initiatives and sector-wide projects.

Projects to put on your radar

Modernize operations and increase productivity

The Workforce Productivity component targets automation, robotization, process digitization and the implementation or adaptation of an enterprise resource planning system. Funding can cover up to 50% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $150,000, with a possible 10% enhancement in some cases.

For slaughterhouses and cheese dairies, the Competitiveness subcomponent can support modernization, process optimization, an added production line or stronger traceability.

Strengthen quality and open new markets

The Food Quality and Safety Management component turns food quality and safety into levers for growth, trust and market access. It can cover a management system, a preventive control plan, HACCP or GFSI certification, updates to a recognized standard or organic certification.

Structure a transformation and strengthen capabilities

The Project Planning and Skills Development component can support external expertise, a diagnostic, a recruitment or retention strategy, skills development, business transfer planning or plans and specifications. It is particularly relevant when a business is preparing a larger investment and wants to structure the next stage.

Move an environmental or structuring project forward

The Regional, Sectoral and Environmental Challenges subcomponent targets projects whose benefits can extend beyond a single operation: environmental performance improvements, slaughter facilities, collective initiatives or animal transportation biosecurity. A possible enhancement of up to 40% may apply to certain projects involving the installation of a humane pork slaughter line.

Which businesses should put this on their radar?

The program is primarily aimed at Quebec food processing businesses. Depending on the component, it may also concern central kitchens, slaughterhouses, cheese dairies, certain animal transportation businesses and collective sector projects. Fit depends on the business project, not only on the industry.

Why look now?

The new version of the program takes effect on July 20, 2026 at 9 a.m. Funding can cover up to 50% of eligible expenses in most components, with maximum amounts of $75,000 under Component 1 and $150,000 under Components 2, 3, 4.1 and 4.2. If an investment is already on your roadmap, now is the time to check its potential before going too far in the planning process. Current rules should be confirmed on the official program page.

What helloDarwin does for you

We have already supported many clients across the food processing industry. We can review your project’s eligibility, identify the relevant component, structure the application and take care of the preparation and follow-up documentation. You stay focused on your project; we handle the funding work.

Planning automation, a new production line, certification or modernization? Let’s talk.