TORONTO - 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.
"The success of our meat processing businesses relies on the strength of our food safety systems," said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "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."
"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," said the Honourable Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "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."
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.
Source : Ontario