The Apiculture Sustainability Growth and Health Program promotes hive health, pollination expansion and adoption of efficient technologies that help with labour shortages.

The Advancing Clean Technologies Program supports the adoption of clean technologies that help with climate change adaptation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, promoting sustainable and clean growth, and increasing value-added agricultural production.

The objective of the Beef Abattoir and Processing Assistance program is to support increased capacity of Nova Scotia provincially licensed abattoirs and processors that serve the beef industry in the province. The program can provide up to 60 percent funding for eligible project costs; up to $15000 for abattoirs and $5000 for meat processors working with beef.

The Limestone trucking assistance program aims to help Nova Scotia farms defray the cost of trucking limestone to give equal opportunity in neutralizing the acidity of the soil on agricultural land and improve production efficiencies.

The purpose of the Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative (the Initiative) is to support growth and productivity through innovation, advanced manufacturing, improved food safety and enhanced cyber security, and energy efficiency within the agri-food sector.

The Initiative will be delivered under three streams, as follows:

• Stream 1 – Agri-Tech Innovation (total Eligible Costs per Project less than $100,000)

• Stream 2 – Agri-Tech Innovation (total Eligible Costs per Project $100,000 and greater)

• Stream 3 – Agri-Tech Energy Costs Savings

The Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS) launched the Rapid Response to Business Development (RRBD) Initiative to support their commitment to impact investing by creating long-term sustainability and fueling innovation in the Agriculture and Environmental sectors. The GRAS RRBD Initiative will provide up to $10,000 to support Ontario-based, agriculture, agri-food and agri-products businesses, as they work with established business connections to advance market opportunities and secure sales for their innovative products, processes or technologies.

Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program provides cost-share funding to support activities that create strong rural communities in Ontario, and opens doors to rural economic development through:

• funding assistance to address barriers to economic development and labour force challenges, better position rural communities to attract or retain investment, and enhance economic growth

• funding to build community capacity and support for economic development in Ontario’s rural communities

• investments in rural communities to help diversify and grow local economies – making economic growth more inclusive so rural Ontario continues to share in the province’s economic prosperity

This page provides a summary of the RED program. Read the RED program guidelines for the full details about eligibility, program funding and application requirements.

The Biosecurity Enhancement Initiative supports the resiliency of the agriculture and food sector by addressing biosecurity risks and enhancing emergency preparedness. It provides funding opportunities to key agriculture industry businesses, including Primary Producers, Processors, and Service Providers. The Initiative has 7 Project Categories to support related activities across the full agri-food value chain (two for animal health and five for plant health).

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund provides support for projects and investments to existing businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations for economic development in eastern Ontario. The objective of the program is to provide financial support and services to help growing companies in eastern Ontario make investments to:

• grow their businesses

• improve productivity

• invest in innovation and skills development

• pursue new markets

• generate broad positive regional economic impact

• create new good, sustainable jobs

A project is a distinct undertaking, separate from ongoing operations, that will result in benefits to the organization such as business growth or access to new markets.

The types of support available include:

• funding support

• complementary services and support

The Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative provides funding to agri-food processors who use technologies and processes to increase energy efficiency in their operations.

This cost-share initiative helps to support agri-food processors to:

• lower their overall operational costs

• be more competitive and sustainable

Our goal is to support projects that prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions by investing in new technology, equipment and building or facility modifications to help achieve this goal.

The Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) Wine Support Program supports Ontario wineries in increasing competitiveness and innovation while growing the sale of Ontario VQA wines at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). The Program provides grants to help wineries invest in growing their VQA wine business, including export and tourism development activities.

The Winery Agri-Tourism Economic Relief Grant will help eligible Ontario wineries and cideries continue to grow their operations, create new jobs, and attract more visitors to rural Ontario.

The Small Distillery Program provides eligible Ontario distilleries with financial support to help grow their operations. Payments are based on production of spirits.

The Small Cidery Program provides eligible Ontario cideries with financial support to help grow their operations. Payments are based on sales of alcoholic cider.

The Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program (Program) provides financial assistance to eligible owners whose: livestock or poultry has been killed as a result of wildlife predation; or if their bee colonies, beehives or beehive-related equipment have been damaged by wildlife.

The Program is part of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership a five-year, $3 billion federal-provincial-territorial funding program launched in 2018. The Partnership supports our agri-food and agri-products sector by encouraging innovation, competitiveness and market development, and offering business risk management assistance

The Grow Ontario Market Initiative provides funding to primary producers, processors and industry organizations to find and develop domestic or export market opportunities.

You may use the funding to grow your business through:

• marketing analysis and planning

• new product development

• marketing activities

The Canadian and Ontario governments launched this initiative to help growers plant varieties of produce that would improve quality, production, and marketability. 

The funding was available through the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative seeks to enhance the capacity processing capabilities within the province’s meat processing plants and abattoirs.

The Initiative will provide funding to eligible free-standing meat plants and abattoirs so they can make short-term investments in meat handling and processing equipment, technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and productivity.

Purpose of the Initiative

The purpose of the Initiative is to provide cost-share funding support for deadstock management to address immediate and short-term deadstock capacity needs at businesses and municipalities in Ontario through increasing capacity and improving sustainability.

The $1.5 million Initiative, funded by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), will run for two years subject to the availability of funding allocated to the Initiative.

The Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative (the Initiative) provides funding to organizations to support underrepresented groups in starting or growing their own business in the agri-food sector.

Funding for the Initiative comes from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year (2023 to 2028) investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments. Up to $1.5 million has been allocated for the Initiative.