Ontario Food Processors Can Apply for Up to $100,000 in Food Safety Grants Until May 6th
If you were feeling left out because BC food processors had access to $20,000 grants to use towards improving food safety, here’s your chance to get in on a great deal. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is now offering up to $100,000 in cost-sharing grants for Ontario-based food producers and processors – but you should note that the application window is extremely short!
The program is designed to optimize food safety systems and increase supply chain transparency across our industry, but it’s also a great way to build trust with customers, ensure you’re 100% compliant with the Safe Food For Canadians Act, and increase profitability by gaining access to new markets.
Applications are only being accepted between March 22nd and May 6th, so don’t delay in getting your information in! We’ll help you apply (more on that later), but first, let’s discuss who is eligible for these grants and what they can be used towards.
Food Safety Grants For Processors: Canadian Agricultural Partnership
The CAP is offering a variety of grants to Ontario-based processors, but some of the largest opportunities are focused around food safety and traceability. Here are two we strongly suggest applying for.
Food Safety and Traceability System Improvements (Max $75K)
With this food safety grant, the CAP will cover 50% of the costs associated with food safety and traceability system improvements, with a maximum of $75,000.
“For food safety and traceability system development, implementation, or improvements through: writing systems to a recognized standard, equipment purchases, facility upgrades, validation studies, as well as initial food safety certification to recognized/international standards.”
To be eligible for the grant, you must:
- Be involved with products for human consumption
- Have 100 or fewer employees
- Demonstrate a direct link between all project activities and the development or improvement of a written food safety or traceability system
Give us a call at 604-231-1650 to learn more about eligibility requirements.
Enterprise Resource Planning and Supply Chain Management Systems (Max $100K)
If you’re looking to upgrade your operations with a robust new ERP system, the CAP will cover 35% of the cost, up to $100,000.
“For projects to put in place software systems that will streamline and integrate business applications and contribute to improved business results.”
Eligibility is based on the following criteria:
- Under 200 employees in your manufacturing facility
- An ERP or supply chain audit that demonstrates the need for improvements
- Identified key performance indicators for productivity, energy usage, and waste management
Give us a call at 604-231-1650 to learn more about eligibility requirements.
For Producers: Canadian Agricultural Partnership Grants
There are a few dozen grants also available to Ontario-based producers, but they tend to be slightly smaller in size. The largest grant revolves, once again, around food safety and traceability.
Food Safety and Traceability System Improvements (Max $60K)
The CAP is willing to cost-share 50% of the costs associated with improving food safety and traceability systems, up to $60,000.
“Projects to support food safety and traceability system development, implementation, or improvements through: writing systems to a recognized standard, equipment purchases, facility upgrades, validation studies as well as initial food safety certification to recognized/international standards.”
Eligibility requirements are yet to be announced in full, but we do know that livestock and poultry producers are not eligible to apply.
Give us a call at 604-231-1650 for updates about eligibility requirements.
How To Optimize Your Grant For Maximum Impact
Access to free money is thrilling – but it also leaves you with some big decisions to make.
Will you pursue more third-party certifications, upgrade your facility, buy new equipment? These enhancements add additional features to your business, but there’s a better way to optimize your operations from the ground up.
Food safety and traceability software is an eligible use of grant money in all three of the programs mentioned in this article – and here’s why you should invest in it:
- Digital records streamline everything. Old excel sheets – or worse, pen and paper – are huge bottlenecks to productivity during daily operations and audits. Implementing dynamic, interconnected records keeps everything (and everyone) running smoothly when it comes to food safety and traceability.
- Time-consuming tasks now take only minutes. Generate HACCP and HARPC plans on demand with just one tap or click. Simulate audits or recalls and fix errors in minutes, not hours. Find documents for regulators in seconds (instead of chasing after files on your computer).
- Extra efficiency and energy will empower you to tackle new challenges. With a big chunk of stress out of the way, you’ll be free to pursue other areas of improvement in your business effectively, like earning SQF certification (in 40% less time), finding more customers, and growing your business.
Enhancing the foundations of your business with software enables all those other things you want to accomplish thanks to extra time, more energy, and higher margins.
We do the heavy lifting for you, far beyond our competitors, to get immediate results. And now with the introduction of farming and cannabis production, food producers from seed to wholesale can benefit from Icicle’s proprietary tech, no matter which grant program you apply for.
We’ll Help You Apply
As a Canadian company, we love seeing producers and processors in Canada thrive. That’s why we’re happy to help companies who want to implement Icicle apply for CAP grants by walking you through the process.
Reach out soon — the application window is short: you have only from March 22 to May 6th to apply!
