Alberta — Value-Added Program
Last Update: July 22, 2025
AB, Canada
Alberta supports growth in value-added food sectors
Alberta — Value-Added Program at a glance
Eligible Funding
- From $50,000 to $250,000
- Up to 25% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : April 15, 2024
- Closing date : May 27, 2024
Financing Type
Grant and Funding
Eligible Industries
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- Manufacturing
Grant Providers
- Government of Alberta
- Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP)
Program status
Open
Overview of the Alberta — Value-Added Program program
The Value-Added Program offers grants up to $250,000 to support diversification, innovation, growth, and job creation in Alberta's value-added food and bio-industrial sectors. Eligible activities include processing capacity expansion, food safety improvement, new product and process development, and market development and access.
Financing terms and conditions
The Alberta Value-Added Program provides financial support for projects that enhance value-added processing in the agriculture sector in Alberta. The financing modalities are structured to encourage investment and growth by sharing the cost of eligible expenses.
- Stream A provides a maximum grant of $50,000, assessed based on eligibility criteria and merit scoring.
- Stream B offers grants over $50,000 up to a maximum of $250,000, also based on eligibility criteria and merit scoring.
- Eligible capital expenses are cost-shared at 25% grant and 75% applicant.
- Eligible non-capital expenses are cost-shared at 50% grant and 50% applicant, with a maximum total amount of $50,000, which includes a $5,000 cap for travel expenses.
- Applicants can only apply once per program fiscal year, choosing either Stream A or Stream B at the time of application.
Eligible projects & activities
The Value-Added Program supports activities that enhance the processing capacity and market reach of Alberta's bio-industrial and food sectors. Eligible projects are geared towards increasing production efficiency, ensuring product quality, and expanding market access.
- Processing capacity expansion
- Food safety improvement
- New product and process development
- Market development and access
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 50,000
Develop a new eco-friendly packaging line for a small business in the food industry
$ 50,000
Launch a new organic product line in a family-owned food processing company
$ 50,000
Expand market access for a NPO's handcrafted food products through an e-commerce platform
$ 75,000
Develop a new gluten-free product line in a mid-sized food processing company
$ 100,000
Expand a food processing plant to increase production capacity and create new jobs
$ 30,000
Improve food safety protocols for a community-run kitchen to enhance product quality
Eligibility criteria of the Alberta — Value-Added Program program
Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and business activities.
- The applicant must be a bio-industrial processor or a food processor involved in adding value to agricultural products.
- The applicant must be an individual or a corporation registered in Alberta at the time of application.
- For Stream B applicants, the applicant must have global annual gross sales of $100,000 or greater at the time of application.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for the Value-Added Program, an applicant must be a bio-industrial processor or food processor engaged in transforming agricultural products into value-added products and must be a registered individual or corporation in Alberta at the time of application. For Stream B, additional eligibility requires having $100,000 or greater in global annual gross sales. Indigenous applicants are encouraged to apply, and the province shows a commitment to assisting Indigenous businesses in adapting to the specific considerations of their operations.
Eligible expenses
Under the Value-Added Program, eligible projects focus on expanding processing capacity, improving food safety, and developing new products. These activities aim to support market expansion and increase production capacity within Alberta's value-added food and bio-industrial sectors.
- Processing capacity expansion.
- Food safety improvement.
- New product and process development.
- Market development and access.
Eligible geographic areas
This grant is available to companies registered in Alberta, ensuring that the benefits of the program are directed towards enhancing the local economy. Eligible businesses need to be situated within this province to apply for funding.
- Businesses registered in Alberta, Canada.
Eligibility criteria of the Alberta — Value-Added Program program
The evaluation and selection of projects for the Value-Added Program grant are based on specific criteria focused on ensuring alignment with the objectives of increasing production capacity, market opportunities, and job creation in Alberta’s value-added sectors.
- Merit scoring of project proposals.
- Assessment of eligibility criteria per stream selected (Stream A or Stream B).
How to apply to the Alberta — Value-Added Program program
1
Check your eligibility (Eligibility Verification)
- Review the Value-Added Program Terms and Conditions to determine eligibility.
- Ensure the proposed activities are listed as ‘eligible activities’ in the Funding List.
- Complete all sections of the application form. Contact a grant specialist if you have questions on eligibility or program criteria.
2
Complete application form (Application Form Completion)
- Fill out and sign the Value-Added Program Application form.
- Read ‘Part F: Certification’ carefully prior to signing.
- Ensure that only original signatures are used, as electronic or digital signatures are not accepted.
3
Submit application form (Application Submission)
- For Stream A, submit the completed application form and supporting documents within 90 calendar days of the project start date.
- For Stream B, submit the completed application form and supporting documents by 11:59 pm MST on May 27, 2024.
- Email PDF applications to: AFSC.[email protected]
- Alternatively, mail the application to the following address: Value-Added Program, Sustainable CAP, Trade, Investment and Food Safety Division, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Suite 301, 7000 113 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5T6.
4
Confirmation and follow-up (Application Review)
- After submission, you may be contacted for additional information.
- The total processing time is up to 23 weeks from the program closing date to receive a notification on project support.
Additional information
Here is some miscellaneous information about the grant:
- Processing times aim to complete in up to 23 weeks from the program closing date to notify applicants of project support decisions.
Apply to this program
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