Millions of dollars have been allocated by the Canadian government to help agrifood companies boost their production capacities and productivity through the country’s Supply Management Processing Fund.
Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, on February 5, announced that 23 companies in the poultry and egg industries were recipients of grants through the fund. The program provides non-repayable contributions, supporting up to 50% of eligible project costs for small- and medium-sized enterprises and up to 25% for large organizations of 500 employees or more.
“I will always stand up for Canada’s supply management system and the communities it supports. With this funding, dairy, poultry and egg processors will be able to modernize their operations so they can continue providing Canadian families with high-quality products while supporting small, rural communities across the country,” MacAulay said.
MacAulay also said the assistance provided by the government will help Canadian businesses address the impacts of recent international trade agreements, as well as respond to environmental challenges and labor shortages.
The move is applauded by Mark Hubert, president and CEO of the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council.
"The Supply Management Processing Investment Fund has enabled numerous poultry and egg processors to make important new investments in their facilities. New investments in equipment and technology will facilitate companies’ efforts to increase productivity and efficiency and enable Canadian poultry and egg processors to undertake valuable and leading-edge modernization projects."
Grant recipients include:
Ontario Limited and Amir Quality Meats
Funding of up to CA$5 million (US$3.71 million) will allow Ontario Limited and Amir Quality Meats, Arthur, Ontario, to install a new processing line for its poultry processing activities.
Ferme la rose des vents
Ferme la rose des vents, Mont-Laurier, Quebec, will receive up to CA$427,200, which will be used to install feathering, cutting, processing and packaging equipment for its poultry processing operations.
Burnbrae Farms
Funding of as much as CA$1,248,600 will help Burnbrae Farms, Mississauga, Ontario, install a new depalletizer system, a gable top packaging, packing and palletizing system, as well as a new mechanical spirale freezer system for the company’s egg processing activities.
D&D Poultry
D&D Poultry, Scarborough, Ontario, will use up to CA$1,374,000 in funding to assist with the installation of automated dicing, marinating and defrosting equipment, as well as adopt information technology management software for the company’s poultry further processing lines.
ENS Poultry
ENS Poultry, Elora, Ontario, will receive CA$174,300 to be applied for the installation of an automating slaughtering system and automatic vacuum packaging system for its poultry processing operations.
Erie Meat Products
Also of Mississauga, Erie Meat Products will receive up to CA$5 million to be used for automation equipment for the breaded and battered line, as well as for packaging and packing systems, and the installation of a spiral freezer system for its poultry further processing activities.
Floyd Dickie & Sons
Based in River Philip, Nova Scotia, Floyd Dickie & Sons will receive up to CA$729,300 to install a new egg grader and a loader with advanced technology for its egg processing operations.
Golden Valley Foods
CA$5 million has been awarded to Golden Valley Foods, Abbotsford, British Columbia, for the installation of a fully automatic grading system for its egg processing operations.
Jenner Colony Farming
Jenner Colony Farming, Jenner, Alberta, will be able to improve business with CA$43,600 for a refrigeration system upgrade and new primary poultry processing equipment.
Larkin Farms
New automated poultry processing and packaging equipment will be installed, as well as a smokehouse and refrigeration equipment at Larkin Farms, Crapaud, Prince Edward Island, thanks to CA$1,081,200 in funding.
Les Ferms Valens Inc.
A CA$67,000 grant will enable Les Ferms Valens, Hutingdon, Quebec, to install egg grading equipment for egg processing.
Les Produits de Viande Pac-Rite
Les Produits de Viande Pac-Rite, Montreal, Quebec, will install a new packaging line for the company’s poultry processing operations, thanks to CA$1,742,100 in funding.
Central Bernard Butchers Corp.
Les Viandes Bernard Central Inc. / Central Bernard Butchers Corp. will receive up to CA$2,403,000 for its poultry processing business. The funding will be utilized to automate and acquire processing equipment such as deboning machines, breast skinning machines and packing machines. The company is located in Lachine, Quebec.
Maritime Hatchery
Maritime Hatchery, Dalhousie Junction, New Brunswick, will install a new egg setter and an automated waste removal system with the help of a CA$55,200 grant.
McKinley Hatchery
Funding amounting to CA$366,300 will help McKinley Hatchery, St. Mary’s, Ontario, install new incubators and egg racks.
Pixtar Canada Inc.
This Mississauga-based business will install new poultry further processing and packaging equipment with CA$269,500 in funding.
Rossdown Natural Foods
Also based in Abbotsford, Rossdown Natural Foods will install new automated poultry primary and further processing equipment, with the help of CA$1.5 million in funding.
Shelmac Brand Products
Shelmac Brand Products, North York, Ontario, will install new egg breaking equipment for its egg processing business. A grant of up to CA$197,000 has been awarded for that purpose.
Sierra Custom Foods
Sierra Custom Foods, Brampton, Ontario, will install new automated poultry processing equipment for cutting, grinding, stuffing and packaging with the help of CA$1,391,600 in funding.
Star Egg Co.
A CA$5 million grant will help Star Egg Co. modernize and automate the packaging process, as well as install new processing equipment to enable in-house egg processing activities for the company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Sunworks Farm
Sunworks Farm, Armena, Alberta, will automate its poultry slaughtering, cutting, deboning and packaging operations, with the help of a CA$160,000 grant.
TNT Foods
TNT Foods, also of Brampton, will install new automated equipment for its poultry further processing activities. As much as CA$1,893,900 has been allocated to help with these upgrades.
Uniqpol
Uniqpol will install a new refrigeration system, meat smoking equipment, sanitation equipment and packaging equipment for its poultry processing activities in Brantford, Ontario. A grant of up to CA$1,262,800 has been awarded.
