The Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, and the Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, André Lamontagne, are pleased to announce the opening of the Programme de développement des marchés bioalimentaires - Component 2. This new component of the financial assistance program aims to increase sales of Quebec bio-food products on Quebec markets and for export. The call for projects will take place from November 9 to December 11, 2020.
The Programme de développement des marchés bioalimentaires will act as a solid point of support for the purchase of Quebec foods, both at home and outside Quebec. It should be noted that, in sub-component 2.2 of the Programme (co-funded with the federal government), the support offered to collective export projects provides additional leverage that will help Quebec reach its target for bio-food exports. This support thus complements the individual financial assistance already offered to companies under the Soutien aux exportations bioalimentaires program.
Quotes
"Our Government is strongly committed to increasing the presence of Canadian agriculture and agri-food products in local and international markets. This financial support offered to Quebec bio-food companies will enable them to continue to promote the high quality of food produced here. Our Government will continue to work with Quebec to foster the competitiveness, growth and prosperity of our food businesses."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"The last few months have revealed the increased interest of Quebecers in the food produced here. Local purchasing is a priority for our government, which committed to setting an example by launching the Stratégie nationale d'achat d'aliments québécois last September. The call that we are launching today will provide financial support for structuring collective projects in a context of relaunching of commercialization. The financial assistance offered will also help promote the Quebec bio-food sector on export markets. The increased sales of Quebec foods on the various markets will impact this sector's contribution to the Quebec GDP and the number of jobs it provides, while creating a leverage effect for Quebec's economic recovery."
- André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Quick facts
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The Canada-Quebec Agreement on implementation of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership represents $293 million in funding from the federal government and the Quebec government over a five-year period, from 2018 to 2023. This agreement supports strategic initiatives that will help industries grow, innovate and prosper.
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The target of the Politique bioalimentaire 2018-2025 - Alimenter notre monde is to add $10 billion in Quebec content in the products purchased in Quebec by 2025. It also aims to increase international exports of Quebec bio-food products by $6 billion.
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With $29.1 billion in sales and more than 70,000 jobs, the bio-food industry is Quebec's largest manufacturing sector.
