Resources For You

The program provides repayable contributions to incent targeted commercialization, demonstration and/or adoption of commercial-ready innovative technologies and processes that increase agricultural and agri-food sector competitiveness and sustainability benefits..

Note: Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until March 31, 2028, or until funding has been fully committed or otherwise announced here. All projects must be completed by March 31, 2028

Incentives to help industrial consumers better manage and conserve energy use. Inventive values vary depending on each project.

Examples Include:

• Energy Manager – must achieve minimum energy savings of 1000 MWh per year ($40k upfront payment to help you get started, annual funding cap of $150k).
• Industrial Energy Efficiency Program – projects for energy-efficiency technology such as lighting and lighting controls, HVAC, VFDs.

This program will support pre-market innovation, including research, development, demonstration and commercialization activities, to develop transformative clean technologies and enable the expansion of current technologies, in 3 priority areas:

• Green energy and energy efficiency
• Precision agriculture
• Bioeconomy

Note: Applications will be accepted from June 16, 2021 through March 31, 2028 or until

The Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario is dedicated to the strategic use of science and innovation to enhance the sustainability and profitability of Ontario’s agri-food and rural sectors. ARIO provides strategic advice, advocacy and leadership, and owns 14 research stations across Ontario

CIPEC is a partnership between the Government of Canada and Canadian industry. CIPEC promotes innovative energy management to help Canadian industry increase profitability, competitiveness, and sustainability.

This program supports manufacturers implementing energy management and ISO 50001 pilot projects.

Funding and Amounts: 

• Receive up to $40,000 in Grant Funding.
• Companies may apply for funding to support specific projects that reduce energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

Funding can be used to develop tools/information related to energy efficiency, provide employee training, perform energy assessments, develop efficiency and energy management solutions.

Funding and Amounts:

The Energy Efficiency Solutions Stream

• Up to 100% of total eligible implementation costs to a maximum of $20 million per proposal to provincial-territorial and other governments or their departments and agencies, as well as Indigenous and registered not-for-profit organizations.
• Up to 75% of total eligible implementation costs to a maximum of $20 million per proposal to private sector for-profit organizations

The Industrial Facility Stream

• Cost-shared financial assistance of up to 50% of eligible implementation costs to a maximum of $10 million per proposal; the minimum contribution is $40,000 per proposal.

Note: Only Industrial Facility Stream is open. The closing date for the Industrial Facility track is August 30, 2024 (March 31, 2025 for Indigenous applicants).

The Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) provides funding for agri-food research and innovation projects in Ontario, which is a key pillar of the grow Ontario strategy. The goals of the initiative are to:

• Fund demand-driven research and innovation activities in the agri-food sector
• Support the sector’s resiliency and facilitate sustainable growth
• Improve knowledge or technology to address business challenges
• Expand market opportunities locally and globally

Funding and amounts:

• OAFRI has a number of funding streams to support research and innovation projects aimed at providing solutions for Ontario’s agri-food sector
• The streams are: Applied research, Pilot and demonstrations, Commercialization, Knowledge translation and transfer (KTT)
• For all streams, your application must align with at least one of the research priorities found here

Note: Intake period for Applied Research, Pilot and Demonstration, and Knowledge Translation and Transfer is open from October 15, 2024 – January 13, 2025. Intake period for Commercialization is open from October 2, 2024 – December 4, 2024.

The Canadian and Ontario governments are working with partner organizations to invest up to $32 million to support the adoption of land-based improvements that will:

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• store carbon
• enhance other ecological good and services

Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) provides funding directly to eligible farmers to help improve on-farm productivity and increase the resilience of agricultural landscapes in response to a changing climate.

Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands

Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) is an Environment and Climate Change Canada initiative that is focused on working with farmers to support the recovery of species at risk on agricultural land. SARPAL funds conservation actions currently focused on supporting 12 target Species at Risk.

Intake open date: November 26, 2024
The intake will close when the available funding has been fully allocated.
Claim deadline: March 17, 2025

Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative

Learn how primary producers and processors can get money to address local labour force challenges in the agri-food sector. 

Intake opens: October 22, 2024
Deadline: September 2, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET

The Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative (the Initiative) helps primary producers and processors address local labour force challenges in the agri-food sector with pilot projects that implement:

• innovative attraction strategies
• recruitment strategies
• retention strategies

Funding for the Initiative comes from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year (2023 to 2028) investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments. Up to $4 million has been allocated for the Initiative.