Alberta's government has streamlined its Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) grant process to make it easier for producers to access grants.
Changes include a simplified grant application process that will allow applicants to receive their money faster, enabling companies to more easily create jobs and inject more money into the province's economy. Funding for the five-year, $406-million partnership remains unchanged.
This year, Alberta's CAP funding will focus on investment in agriculture and food processing. Through these changes, the program will encourage innovation and technological advancement on farms and throughout the entire food supply chain.
In 2020-21, the program awarded 989 grants that aim to help farmers and businesses grow and innovate. It is estimated that these grants have led to more than $150 million in investment and the creation of more than 750 jobs in the agriculture and agri-food processing sector.
Alberta's nine programs will be organized under three themes: Growth and Value-Added, Farm Efficiency and Public Trust.
New programs will start to rollout in summer 2021. Program information will be posted on Alberta's Canadian Agricultural Partnership website.
Quotes
"Through our cost-shared programming, the Government of Canada and Alberta are working to ensure our farmers and processors can continue to innovate and create good jobs. The changes announced today will help Alberta's agricultural sector remain competitive by helping farmers and businesses access funding more quickly."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"CAP grants have increased our farmers', ranchers' and producers' competitiveness and this will continue going forward. Value-added processing is so important to the industry and a simplified grant process will help us attract private investment across Alberta and create jobs."
- Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
"Aliya's Food is committed to providing Albertans, and families around the world, with high-quality, authentic frozen Indian cuisines. A grant from the CAP program went towards building the capacity to develop, test and launch five new plant-based frozen products. We thank the governments of Canada and Alberta for making this critical investment and for their efforts to grow the value-added sector."
- Noorudin Jiwani, president, Aliya's Foods
"The commitment the Government of Alberta has set forth towards Value Added Food Processors is immense. By having programs like CAP and support from the government, we are able to access funds to help us grow markets we normally wouldn't access. This ability to strengthen the agri-processing industry by encouraging innovation and technological advancements allows Alberta processors the ability to compete with all international competitors."
- Rocco Suriano, owner, Let's Pasta
Quick facts
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The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector. This includes up to $2 billion for programs cost-shared by the federal and provincial/territorial governments that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
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In Alberta, the partnership is worth $406 million over the five years towards strategic programs and services that align with priorities in the province.
