Farmers can apply for pandemic expenses through new federal funding

P.E.I. farmers can now access federal funding for pandemic-related modifications they made during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food, announced $945,000 in funding to help farmers protect the health and safety of workers during the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has not slowed down the need for food, and our industry wants to ensure we can continue to feed Canadians,” said Ron Maynard, president of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture.

Eligible activities include improvements to living quarters and workstations and temporary or emergency housing (on or offfarm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, workstations and any other health and safety measures that safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19. Funding is retroactive to the start of the pandemic.

This federal funding will be delivered by the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture and Land.

Applications will be accepted through P.E.I. Department of Agriculture and Land website until Jan. 15, 2021. Contributions under the program will be cost-shared 50⁄ 50 with the applicants, up to $30,000 per farm operation.

An additional 10 per cent will be provided to women, youth, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities, amounting to a 60⁄ 40 split as the government of Canada promotes and empowers underrepresented groups in the agricultural sector.

Farmers seeking to apply for funding must submit an application before Jan. 15 or submit an expense claim before Feb. 15, by going to the P.E.I. Emergency On-Farm Support Fund webpage.

The government of Canada recognizes the critical role of the food supply chain and is committed to improving the safety of these workplaces.