Canada and Ontario Encourage Agri-Food Sector Growth with Sustainable CAP Initiatives
TORONTO – The Canadian and Ontario governments are urging agri-food stakeholders to apply for three initiatives under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) aimed at boosting Ontario’s $50.7 billion agri-food sector. These programs focus on workforce diversity, labour management strategies, and environmental sustainability.
The application deadline for the Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative is fast approaching on December 3, 2024. This initiative, alongside the Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative and the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, seeks to address critical challenges in the industry, including labour shortages and sustainable farming practices.
Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay highlighted the impact of the Sustainable CAP programs:
“There’s no doubt that the programs under our Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement are making a real difference in the lives of our hardworking producers and processors right across Ontario. By helping them address the challenges they face, we’re making the sector more sustainable and competitive for generations to come.”
ATTENTION #Ontario farmers! 🚨
Several funding programs are still accepting applications:
☑️Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative
☑️Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative
☑️Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program.Please see ⬇️for details & SHARE!… https://t.co/HqVD56HQF5
— Rob Flack (@RobFlackEML) November 27, 2024
Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Rob Flack emphasized the partnership’s success:
“By 2028, $569 million in Sustainable CAP funding in a broad suite of initiatives will have flowed to Ontario’s rapidly growing agri-food sector, with over 1,500 Ontario agribusinesses already having benefitted from these dollars. We strongly encourage Ontario agri-food stakeholders to apply to these programs and to seize the opportunities they offer for long-term growth and competitiveness.”
The Sustainable CAP is a $3.5 billion, five-year investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments aimed at enhancing the competitiveness, innovation, and resilience of Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industries. This includes $1 billion for federal initiatives and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs delivered by provinces and territories, with a funding ratio of 60% federal to 40% provincial/territorial contributions.
Ontario stakeholders can learn more about the programs, application requirements, and delivery partners on the Sustainable CAP webpage or by contacting the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or ag.info.omafa@ontario.ca.
With the deadline looming for one of the key programs, eligible producers and processors are encouraged to act swiftly to take advantage of these transformative opportunities.
