Helping Food Processor in Dufferin-Caledon Lower Business Costs

Dufferin-Caledon – Investments by the governments of Canada and Ontario through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) are resulting in more than $16 million worth of energy cost savings projects to help food processing businesses increase energy efficiency and lower their costs. 

Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon, is pleased to announce that the Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative will provide up to $11,000 for Copac Food Solutions, in Dufferin County to purchase and install an energy efficient refrigerator, oven, packaging and exhaust systems to reduce energy usage and costs, as well as increase efficiencies.

“I am pleased to see the Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative for Copac Food Solutions,” said Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon. “By supporting Ontario’s robust food processing sector, we are strengthening the local food supply chain here at home.”

30 food processors across the province will be supported by the Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative to help lower their costs to be more competitive and sustainable. The Initiative focused on supporting projects that prioritized reducing greenhouse gas emissions by investing in new technology, equipment, or facility modifications. This funding will contribute to an anticipated $3 million in annual operational cost savings for recipient businesses.   

“As the food processing hub of Canada, Ontario is uniquely poised to see further growth in this sector which is why our government is continuing to bring forward initiatives that work,” said Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Through the Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative and a host of other actions, we’re making significant progress in achieving the ambitious targets for growth we’ve set out in our Grow Ontario Strategy.”

The Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative was developed following discussions with Ontario’s food processing sector. It is part of a series of initiatives the government has implemented to support food processing in Ontario including committing up to $25 million through the Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative, which applications open on February 15, 2024.

Under the Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative, applicants could receive up to 20 per cent cost-share funding for eligible costs, to a maximum of $300,000, per business. Projects supported through the initiative are to be completed by March 31, 2025.

Sustainable CAP is a five-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Heather Grégoire, EA for Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin-Caledon

Heather.gregoire@pc.ola.org