New funding will support Ontario meat processors to continue to deliver safe, high-quality products

Ontario meat processors will receive $220,000 from the federal and provincial governments in support of 25 projects at provincially licensed abattoir businesses in Ontario.

Issued under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the funding is said to strengthen food safety in this part of the province’s agri-food sector. This costshare 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.

The 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, the province said in a release.

Each project is eligible for up to 50 per cent costshare, 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 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 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.”

The 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.

There are 123 provincially inspected meat processing operations in Ontario. The 25 food safety enhancement projects at abattoirs were approved following an intake period last summer.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) delivers cost-share funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to food processors and other businesses, including animal health, commercialization and primary agrifood businesses.

The Ontario agri-food sector supports some 837,000 jobs and contributes more than $47.5 billion each year to the province’s economy.