PEI employers who hire students during summer may qualify for the employee wage subsidy offered through two separate student employment programs:

1. Jobs for Youth Program
   This program supports students aged 15-29 working 8-12 weeks during summer and students must be returning to school in the Fall. 

2. Post-Secondary Student Program
   Supports full-time post-secondary students working a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 18 weeks during the summer. The exact number of weeks designated per placement will be based on factors such as but not limited to: position, wage, and the likelihood of opportunity for experiential learning. Students must be entering or returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the Fall.  

   • Priority will be given to employers able to demonstrate they will provide post-secondary students with a valuable experiential learning opportunity related to the student's field of study (e.g. Pathways to Apprenticeship, Health-related occupations).

   • Experiential Learning opportunities are presented by employers who meaningfully contribute to and advance a student’s education through summer employment. Experiential learning could include: practical field-related skills; insight and knowledge that would benefit the student in their academic pursuits; and/or interactions with environments related to their field of study.

Healthy and well designed hedgerows are an essential part of Prince Edward Island's landscape and provide many environmental benefits to farmers, home owners, businesses and the Island’s environment. The Hedgerow and Buffer Zone Planting Program helps landowners plant treed hedgerows and buffers to protect the soil from wind and rain erosion, prevent runoff from entering streams and rivers, and create windbreaks for buildings and livestock.

The Agriculture Research and Innovation Program will support farm-level applied research, innovation and adoption projects that are designed to address challenges and opportunities and increase the competitiveness, productivity and profitability of the PEI agriculture industry.

Support the expansion of local markets while simultaneously supporting goals related to community food security, particularly increasing access to affordable local food and improving health and food safety.

Such As:

• Healthy food education and food literacy training (e.g., for foodservice/procurement staff)

• Development of sustainable, seasonal school/childcare lunch menus using local ingredients

• Creation/piloting of food literacy workshops or course modules

• Community fridges and meals (including events promoting local food)

• Community, school, greenhouse, or indoor gardens (includes seeds and eligible setup/maintenance costs)

• Materials, supplies, and small equipment

• Training delivery (room rental, supplies, printing/photocopying)

• Professional fees (project-specific)

• Promotion and marketing initiatives In-province travel

• Facility rentals (excluding organization-owned spaces)

• Other reasonable, project-related expenses approved by the program committee

The Organic Industry Development Program is designed to support the growth, competitiveness, and capacity-building of the organic agriculture sector in Prince Edward Island. By providing strategic assistance, the program aims to foster innovation, sustainability, and economic resilience within the sector. It supports projects that enhance the sector's ability to adapt to emerging challenges, improve productivity, and increase market access. This initiative encourages collaboration among stakeholders, promotes knowledge transfer, and helps position the organic sector for long-term success, ensuring its contribution to both regional and national economic development.

The Agriculture Awareness Sub-Program is designed to raise the profile of PEI agriculture among youth and the general public in PEI through agriculture promotional activities and events. The program will develop and improve leadership, farm business and technical skills and encourage participation in conferences and special events for rural youth in order to increase their knowledge about agriculture.

A financing program has been developed to provide working capital financing to assist Prince Edward Island businesses impacted by the new export tariffs implemented by the United States of America (the “Tariffs”), ensuring they can maintain operations, preserve jobs, and invest in alternative supply chain strategies. This new loan program will assist qualifying companies to maintain normal business operations during these unprecedented times.

The Export Enhancement and Diversification Fund helps Prince Edward Island exporters and export-ready businesses with marketing and trade costs to execute export plans and activities to explore new global export opportunities to diversify and enhance their business. 

The Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) in Agriculture Industry Housing Improvement Program is designed to support the improvement of the quality of housing for temporary foreign workers in PEI’s agriculture sector that have been hired through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program stream.   

The Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture has established the Agri-Food Growth Program to build and enhance local markets to increase the awareness, sale and consumption of Prince Edward Island produced agri-food products.  

There are five components to the program: 

1. Signage

2. Promotion

3. New Product Market Readiness

4. Season Extension 

5. Sector Growth Initiatives

The Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) Program aims to empower farmers and farmland owners in conservation and regeneration of agricultural landscapes. ALUS supports the maintenance, enhancement, and production of ecological goods and services (EG&S) to reduce soil erosion, improve air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity, sequester carbon and build resilient agricultural landscapes. ALUS provides financial assistance to farmers and farmland owners through a multi-year land use agreement. The agreement provides annual payments for the adoption and maintenance of beneficial management practices (BMPs) on agricultural land and for the conversion of targeted environmentally sensitive land from annual crop production to biodiverse, carbon sequestering perennial landscapes. The delivery of ALUS is a joint effort of two provincial government departments: The Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action. Guidance for ALUS activities will be provided by the ALUS Partnership Advisory Committee comprised of members from industry, conservation and watershed groups

The Watershed Management Fund provides financial support to community-based watershed groups on Prince Edward Island.

The Watershed Management Fund provides financial support to community-based watershed groups on Prince Edward Island.

The Marketing Support Assistance helps Prince Edward Island businesses with their marketing costs from start-up through to international exporting. This assists companies as they undertake marketing research, advertising and promotion, and market investigation.

The Perennial Crop Development Program is designed to increase sustainability in PEI’s agriculture sector. Perennial crops are often considered to have both substantial ecological and economic benefits compared to annual crop species. Perennial crops can increase carbon levels in the soil and reduce contamination of watercourses and wetlands through erosion control, water-use efficiency, and nutrient cycling efficiency. 

The Program will support the implementation of perennial crop development through two sub-programs: 

• 1.3.1 Perennial Crop Establishment Sub-Program

• 1.3.2 Perennial Crop Efficiency Sub-Program

The Agriculture Stewardship Program is designed to increase environmental sustainability, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, by providing technical and financial support to the development, promotion and implementation of Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs). Activity areas include soil conservation, climate change mitigation, soil health, nutrient management, integrated pest management, riparian management, water quality, water use efficiency, and on-farm product and waste storage. The program will support environmental protection activities and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. Approved projects are funded on a cost-shared or per acre basis.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is a technology that converts sunlight into electricity. The use of solar energy can lower energy bills for Islanders, working hand-in-hand with other efficiency upgrades.

The solar program makes solar power more affordable than ever before by providing financial incentive for Island homeowners, farms and businesses to install solar PV panels.

The Agriculture Resiliency Program encourages a robust and adaptable industry through proactive risk management in agriculture. The program will support initiatives that build the strength and viability of the agriculture industry, as well as initiatives that assist industry in preparing for current and future threats such as climate change and extreme weather. Supporting initiatives in producer wellness and mental health are included as an essential part of a resilient system. 

The Ignition Fund is a competitive-based fund for entrepreneurs seeking startup capital for a new innovative business venture or to develop and launch a new innovative product.  The fund invests seed capital that will allow successful applicants to turn their ideas into a tangible and viable business.  

The PEI Agriculture Climate Solutions Program is designed to encourage and provide assistance to the Prince Edward Island agriculture industry to implement best management practices (BMPs) that mitigate agricultural contributions to climate change. The Program will provide solutions for mitigation by supporting both practices that reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released during or from an agricultural activity or that promote carbon sequestration in soils. The Program provides financial assistance for the adoption of BMPs through per-acre payments that encourage the adoption of beneficial field-based practices; through project-based payments that encourage the adoption of beneficial on-farm projects; and, through trial-based payments that encourage the adoption of beneficial practices through demonstration, validation, and knowledge-transfer.

The Product and Market Development Program is designed to expand domestic and international competitiveness by supporting small and medium-sized agricultural producers, agri-businesses and agri-processors to expand their product base or markets through:

• Value-added and agri-food processing projects; 

• Market development activities on PEI; and

• Market development activities through intra-jurisdictional projects. 

Special consideration will be given to projects which include knowledge adoption, and clean technologies that will upscale innovation. This program will assist the individual needs of small and medium-sized sized enterprises, rather than serve to implement broad strategic initiatives

The Grow the Herd Pilot Program is designed to grow the beef cow population in the province and increase the number of beef cattle processed in PEI.  The PEI livestock strategy was released in 2021 to address the decline in beef cattle numbers in the province.  The strategy focuses on the role of livestock in soil health, climate change mitigation, and a vibrant rural economy. 

The program aims to create an enabling environment for the development and adoption of clean technology that will help drive the changes required to achieve a low-carbon economy and promote sustainable growth in Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector.

The new Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund, announced in Budget 2023, will provide Canadian dairy processors with non-repayable contributions to help the dairy sector better manage the structural surplus of solids non-fat in Canada. This Fund will be delivered by the Canadian Dairy Commission on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Program objective:

The program provides repayable contributions to incent targeted commercialization, demonstration and/or adoption of commercial-ready innovative technologies and processes that increase agricultural and agri-food sector competitiveness and sustainability benefits.

The Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF) supports projects that strengthen community food security and increase the availability and accessibility of local, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food through food production-focused activities for equity-deserving groups, particularly Indigenous and Black communities.

If you receive funding, you'll work to meet the program objectives

• support projects aimed at helping Indigenous Peoples and other underrepresented and marginalized groups in Canadian agriculture — including women, youth, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and official language minority communities — to fully participate in the sector by helping these groups address the key issues and barriers they often face for sector participation

• help activities that promote the benefits of a career in agriculture and that enhance the public's perception of agriculture and its role in the economy

• help Canadian organizations working in the agriculture and agri-food sector that:

  • engage, train and empower underrepresented and marginalized groups so they can succeed in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector

  • work with Indigenous communities to increase their involvement in the sector thereby supporting the Government of Canada's commitment to reconciliation and inclusive economic growth

  • provide opportunities for sector participation to youth, women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and official language minority communities

• help Indigenous Peoples and other underrepresented and marginalized groups in the agriculture and agri-food sector:

  • become aware of business management strategies and tools. With training and the necessary tools, the sector will have the ability to adapt to emerging issues (for example, regulatory challenges, sustainability and market opportunities), and advance economic growth

  • enhance entrepreneurial capacity, business skills and sector leadership of Indigenous Peoples and other underrepresented and marginalized groups

  • learn about available career opportunities in the agriculture and agri-food sector

The program aims to strengthen the sector and build its capacity by:

• helping members from underrepresented and marginalized groups to develop their leadership skills to take on a greater leadership role

• building the entrepreneurial capacity and business skills of Indigenous Peoples and other underrepresented and marginalized groups in the agriculture and agri-food sector

• facilitating the sharing of industry experience, best practices and knowledge to help Indigenous Peoples and other underrepresented and marginalized groups manage transformation and adapt to changes in their business operations

• strengthening the sector by incorporating views from a greater diversity of sector players

The AgriMarketing Program is a $129.97-million program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).The program aims to increase and diversify exports to global markets and seize market opportunities via industry-led promotional activities to differentiate Canadian products and producers, by leveraging Canada's reputation for high-quality and safe food. The program supports a wide range of agricultural sectors, such as:field cropsfish and seafoodfood and beveragehorticulturelivestock

The objective of the Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (IAFSI) is to increase economic development opportunities of Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada. This initiative will support Indigenous communities and entrepreneurs who are ready to launch agriculture and food systems projects and others who want to build their capacity to participate in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.

Through this initiative, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) aims to contribute to the Government of Canada's commitment to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups and focus on building Indigenous Peoples' capacity to succeed in agriculture.

The initiative supports the development of partnerships between federal and non-federal partners, including Indigenous communities, provincial and territorial governments, and the private sector.

Help Canadian youth (aged 15 to 30) develop the skills and gain the experience they need to successfully transition into the labour market.