January 16, 2020 - Toronto, Ontario - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The governments of Canada and Ontario are helping meat processing businesses continue to produce safe, high-quality products that consumers enjoy with over $220,000 in cost-share funding to support 25 projects at provincially licenced abattoir businesses in Ontario.
This targeted effort through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership) will help strengthen food safety in this important part of the province's agri-food sector. This cost-share funding is in addition to funding to support 28 other projects completed at abattoirs in 2019, for a total investment of more than $530,000. These funding initiatives, when combined with contributions from the abattoir businesses, will collectively result in approximately $1.7 million in investments to further improve food safety in Ontario. Each project is eligible for up to 50 per cent cost-share, with eligible abattoirs receiving a maximum of $20,000.
These investments add to several initiatives Ontario has undertaken to support growth in the province's meat sector this year, including the recent launch of a meat industry engagement panel.
Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed cost-share support to approximately 2,500 projects through the Partnership to help eligible Ontario farmers, processors, businesses and sector organizations innovate and grow.
Quotes
"The success of our meat processing businesses relies on the strength of our food safety systems. Supporting projects like these not only strengthens Ontario's capacity to produce safe, high-quality food products, it increases the overall competitiveness of the sector while creating good middle-class jobs."
- Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"We're committed to working with our meat processing businesses to further strengthen the high quality of their products and expand market opportunities for them. Investing in projects like these, which provide consumers with even more confidence about the safety of foods produced in Ontario, will support employment in this key sector and further boost its competitiveness."
- Honourable Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Quick facts
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There are 123 provincially inspected meat processing operations in Ontario.
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The Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors.
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The Partnership is committing more than $220,000 to support 25 food safety enhancement projects at abattoirs approved in an application intake that took place from May 1, 2019 to August 30, 2019.
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In a February 2019 intake, the Partnership invested approximately $313,000 in 28 projects at abattoirs.
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The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) delivers cost-share funding under the Partnership to food processors and other businesses (animal health, commercialization and primary agri-food businesses).
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The Ontario agri-food sector supports more than 837,000 jobs in Ontario and contributes more than $47.5 billion each year to the province's economy.
