How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $75000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is 2025-12-01T23:59:00Z.

Who are the financial supporters of the Food Safety and Growth Initiative?

Food Safety and Growth Initiative is funded by Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), Government of Ontario

What are Food Safety and Growth Initiative's eligibility criterias?

Applicant must be a Primary Producer, Processor, or Service Provider as defined by the initiative. Applicant must have fewer than 100 employees at the project location. Applicant must produce, process, or provide services for eligible food products listed in Appendix C.

Food Safety and Growth Initiative

ON, Canada

Enhance food safety systems, adopt new technologies, and drive sector growth

grant_single|update February 27, 2025

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grant_single|openingDateAugust 21, 2024
grant_single|closingDateDecember 1, 2025

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Grant and Funding

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Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Transportation and warehousing
Professional, scientific and technical services

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Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP)
Government of Ontario

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The Food Safety and Growth Initiative aims to support small agri-food businesses in modernizing food safety systems and adopting new food safety and traceability technologies. Eligible activities include third-party assessments for actionable food safety improvements, equipment and technology upgrades for monitoring and hazard reduction, and the development or improvement of food safety or traceability programs. Funding covers 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $75,000 per project.

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This grant from the Food Safety and Growth Initiative offers specific funding modalities to aid eligible recipients in improving their food safety systems while stimulating sector growth. Financial support is provided to ensure equitable and sustainable advancements in food safety technologies and practices.

Funding is available to cover 50% of eligible costs for each project, up to a maximum of $75,000 per project.
The funding is sourced from a federally-backed initiative titled Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, featuring a total allocation of $5,000,000 for eligible participants.
Eligible costs include incremental salary and wages for direct project work, equipment and technology upgrades, and assessments by qualified third parties.
All funding claims must be supported by invoices and proof of payment, with required adherence to specific financial reporting and auditing protocols to validate claims.
Recipients must be registered with Transfer Payment Ontario and be compliant with related legal and financial obligations.
The initiative does not cover ineligible costs such as day-to-day business operations, taxes entitled to rebates, or non-project-specific technology and consumables.

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The Food Safety and Growth Initiative aims to assist small agri-food businesses in modernizing their food safety systems. By adopting new equipment and technologies, these businesses can enhance traceability and improve food safety measures.

Conducting an assessment by a qualified third-party to identify specific food safety or traceability improvements, such as a certification pre-audit or a gap analysis with an action plan.
Upgrading equipment and technology to monitor, prevent, reduce, or eliminate food safety hazards, or to enhance food safety and traceability, including surveillance, data collection, lab testing, and analysis.
Developing or improving food safety or traceability programs to achieve higher standards or performance, which includes documented procedures, records, and results for prevention control plans.
Implementing an internationally or nationally recognized food safety program, including undergoing first-time certification audits.
Providing training directly related to the implementation of equipment, technology upgrades, system improvements, or written programs.
Making structural modifications necessary for implementing equipment, technology upgrades, system improvements, or written programs.

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Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's business type, employee count, and compliance with laws and regulations.

The applicant must be a Primary Producer, Processor, or Service Provider as defined in the guidelines.
For Primary Producers, eligibility includes crop or livestock producers, excluding landowners and employers who only provide housing to international agricultural workers.
For Processors, eligibility includes slaughterhouses, agri-food processors, and packing houses, excluding commissaries, brewpubs, and non-food related processors.
For Service Providers, eligibility includes businesses providing cold storage, distributor services, direct food contact packaging, or laboratory services to eligible Producers or Processors.
The applicant must have fewer than 100 employees at the project location.
The business must handle food products listed in Appendix C, although it is not required to exclusively handle these products.
The applicant must provide a CRA Business Number (BN) or, if applicable, a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
The applicant must submit a completed Ministry-approved application form.
The applicant must be undertaking activities specified in the guidelines as eligible.
The applicant must be compliant with environmental, labour, tax, and other laws at the time of application.
The applicant must not have any conflicts of interest with federal or provincial public office holders.
The applicant must agree to the publication of certain project and funding information by Canada and Ontario.
The applicant must agree to comply with the terms, conditions, and requirements set out by the Initiative.

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The "Food Safety and Growth Initiative" is aimed at supporting certain small agri-food businesses in Canada, specifically focusing on three principal types: Primary Producers, Processors, and Service Providers involved with eligible food products. These entities must adhere to detailed eligibility criteria to qualify for the grant.

Primary Producers: Crop or livestock producers, including controlled environments like greenhouses, but excluding agricultural landowners without production involvement.
Processors: Entities like slaughterhouses and packing houses handling initial processing steps, excluding ready-to-eat counters and pet food manufacturers.
Service Providers: Businesses that offer services such as cold storage or laboratory services specifically to eligible producers and processors.
Employee Requirement: Having fewer than 100 employees at the project location.
Product Eligibility: Engaged in activities with food products specified in the provided appendix, such as RTE minimally-processed fruits, specific dairy items, and certain meat products.
Legal and Tax Compliance: The applicant must be in compliance with all environmental, labour, and tax requirements under Canadian law.
Business Identifiers: Must provide a CRA BN or SIN, and for producers/processors, a valid premises identification number and farm business registration number or equivalent exemptions.
No Conflict of Interest: Applicants must adhere to conflict of interest regulations concerning public office holders and parliament members.
Consent for Public Information: Must agree to disclose certain project-related information publicly by Canada and Ontario if funding is granted.
Project Commitment: Agreement to comply with all terms, conditions, and requirements of the grant initiative.

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This grant specifically targets certain eligible food production sectors, thus excluding industries that do not align with the Initiative's objectives. Companies primarily involved in aquaponics and non-eligible food processing activities are not eligible for this funding.

Companies engaged in aquaponic food production.
Companies involved in aquaculture, seaweed, fish, and seafood production and processing.
Commissaries, such as ready-to-eat counters.
Brewpubs and brand owners.
Pet food manufacturers.
Fertilizer manufacturers.
Bio-processing companies (e.g., food, industrial).
Food/agricultural commodity/bioprocessor waste companies.
Federal public office holders and federal public servants not in compliance with conflict of interest guidelines.
Current members of the House of Commons or Senate not permitted to receive funding due to the Parliament of Canada Act.

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This initiative is focused on enhancing food safety systems in small agri-food businesses by providing support for the adoption of modern technologies and comprehensive safety practices. It aims to boost competitiveness and growth within the sector through targeted upgrades and improvements.

Assessment by a qualified third-party to identify specific, actionable food safety or traceability improvements, such as a certification pre-audit or a gap analysis against a recognized standard.
Equipment and technology upgrades designed to monitor, prevent, reduce, and/or eliminate food safety hazards, or to improve food safety and traceability, including surveillance, data collection, lab testing, and analysis.
Development or improvement of documented food safety or traceability programs to achieve higher standards or performance, including prevention control plans.
Implementation of an internationally or nationally recognized food safety program, including undergoing first-time certification audits.
Training directly related to the implementation of equipment, technology upgrades, system improvements, or written programs.
Structural modifications required to implement equipment, technology upgrades, system improvements, or written programs.

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This grant is tailored for businesses within Ontario, Canada, as this is where the Ministry regulating the initiative operates and where the activities are delineated for eligible funding programs.

Businesses based in Ontario, Canada.

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The evaluation and selection of projects for the Food Safety and Growth Initiative grant are conducted based on specific criteria that assess the project's capability to fulfill the initiative's goals.

Clear demonstration of the project's ability to improve food safety and/or traceability and control risks.
Integration of multiple parts of the project's location food safety/traceability system, such as equipment, training, and control procedures.
Pursuit of improvements to achieve national or international food safety program standards and/or certification, for example, Global Food Safety Initiative recognized Certification Programmes.
Stimulation of related business growth, such as access to new customers/markets, improved production output, or improved inventory management.

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The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership's Food Safety and Growth Initiative provides financial support to small agri-food businesses for modernizing food safety systems, adopting new technologies, and stimulating sector growth, with funding up to $75,000 per project.

The funding is available to eligible Primary Producers, Processors, and Service Providers involved with specified food products.
The initiative accepts applications from August 21, 2024, until December 1, 2025, or until funding runs out.
The initiative covers 50% of Eligible Costs up to a maximum of $75,000 per project.
Eligible activities include food safety assessments, equipment upgrades, program development, and certification audits.
Costs related to aquaponic food production, common items, and personal expenses are ineligible.
Projects need to demonstrate clear benefits in food safety, traceability, and sector growth.
Initiative Payments require registration with Transfer Payment Ontario and Supply Ontario.
Recipients must comply with comprehensive audit and record-keeping requirements for up to seven years.