The governments of Canada and Ontario are committing $2 million to help small agri-food businesses in the province expand, modernise and improve food safety, through a second intake of Ontario's Food Safety and Growth Initiative.
Eligible businesses can receive up to $75,000 per project for food safety equipment and technology, traceability systems and improvements to production processes. The programme covers businesses that produce, process or provide services for products such as bagged salads, cheese and ice cream, with fewer than 100 employees at the project site.
"This investment will help small businesses modernize their food safety systems, adopt new technologies, and meet evolving consumer and market demands," said Heath MacDonald, the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Ontario's Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, Sam Oosterhoff, described it as part of the province's plan for a "secure, sovereign, and self-reliant agri-food sector".
The first intake, launched in 2024, supported 90 projects and contributed to more than 70 full- and part-time jobs. Applications for the new intake open on 19 October 2026 and close on 1 March 2027, or earlier if the money runs out.
Chris Conway, chief executive of Food and Beverage Ontario, said the programme would help businesses deal with food safety, equipment, standards and training needs while adapting to trade pressures and changing consumer expectations.
For farm-linked processors such as small cheese makers and salad packers, food safety investment is often what opens the door to larger retail buyers, which is why such grants matter beyond the plant itself.
Photo: remundo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Source: Farms.com
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