August 28, 2019

Canada’s food industry gets $6.6 million in government, private funds for innovation

Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau was at the Bonduelle food processing plant in Bedford, Quebec, to announce an investment of up to $4.6 million to the Food and Beverage Cluster through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program. The cluster, led by the Canadian Food Innovators (CFI), will include an additional $2 million in contributions from industry, for a total investment of $6.6 million.

The cluster will support cutting-edge research on product and technology innovations in cereals, oats, pulses and new ingredients that serve as natural preservatives. The projects will also focus on the development of alternatives in frozen food safety practices to help extend shelf-life and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness.

Minister Bibeau, on behalf of Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, also reaffirmed an investment of up to $30 million in the Canadian Food Innovators Network (CFIN) through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).

“We know that Canadian innovation is key to keeping our agri-food industry competitive and strong,” Bibeau said. “This investment will help ensure our processors are at the forefront of innovation, growing their businesses, boosting their competitiveness and providing top quality food for families across Canada and around the world.”

The CFIN, led by the Canadian Food Innovators, will help accelerate product development, innovation, and technology adoption in Canada’s food and beverage processing sector by funding projects under three streams: innovative solutions to food processing challenges; collaborative projects in automation, packaging, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology; and, pilot-scale equipment at Canada’s food and beverage innovation centers.

These investments also support the vision of the recently announced Food Policy for Canada, that Canada’s food system is resilient, innovative and enhances our economy.

Quick facts

  • Canada’s food and processing industry has more than 285,000 employees.
  • Canadian Food Innovators was established in 2013 to enable the country’s food and beverage manufacturing companies to jointly access federal innovation programs, and delivered the first food processing research cluster under Growing Forward 2.
  • The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector.
  • Through the AgriScience Program, a five-year, $338 million initiative, the government is supporting leading edge discovery and applied science, and innovation driven by industry research priorities.
  • The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) aims to spur innovation for a better Canada. Specifically, it serves to simplify application processes, accelerate processing, and provide assistance that is more responsive and focused on results.

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