News Release

Governments Strengthening Ontario’s Food Supply System

365 agri-food businesses will receive funding to enhance operational resilience to diseases and pests

October 25, 2024

Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $7.5 million to support 365 projects that will help the province’s farmers, food processors, and essential farm-supporting agribusinesses protect their operations against pests and diseases while enhancing operational resilience and strengthening public trust in our food supply system.

The funding through the Biosecurity Enhancement Initiative, combined with cost-shared investments by the sector, is expected to generate up to $31.5 million in total biosecurity enhancements across Ontario’s agri-food sector.

“Keeping our food safe while applying best management practices is vital to ensuring Ontario’s agri-food system continues to thrive,” said Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “These projects will help enhance biosecurity along our supply chains so we can keep feeding Canadians, and the world.”

“Maintaining and strengthening Ontario’s world-class food safety system is the number one priority for this ministry,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “This initiative builds on our government’s consistent record of enhancing the resilience of Ontario’s food supply chains and boosting our standing as a globally trusted producer of agri-food commodities and goods.”

Under the initiative, farmers, processors, and select farm-supporting agri-food businesses were eligible for cost-share funding ranging from 35 per cent to 50 per cent, depending on the project category. Supported activities include the implementation of technologies that reduce the spread of animal and plant diseases and capital upgrades that enhance biosecurity (such as constructing isolation facilities and wash bays).

Examples of projects include:

  • Up to $50,000 for a sheep farm in Clarington to build a new barn to improve its on-farm isolation and separation processes.
  • Up to $50,000 for an Ottawa-area farm to purchase and implement an electronic traceability collection system to improve biosecurity and animal health for its cattle farming operation.
  • Up to $29,353 for a berry farm in Niagara Region for a steam treatment system to eliminate damaging pests and diseases.

This initiative is funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

Quick Facts

  • Enhancing the sector’s ability to anticipate, mitigate and respond to diseases and pests was a key priority set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement.
  • In 2023, Ontario’s agri-food industry contributed almost $51 billion in GDP to the provincial economy and employed over 871,000 people.