GreenON Food Manufacturing: Food Processing Technology Grants

Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry is a top contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To help create a more sustainable and productive industry, food and beverage processors must be willing to invest in new technologies that reduce GHGs created throughout the production process. Although it can be expensive to integrate new equipment and/or processes, such projects can drive long-term economic benefits to the company while also minimizing environmental impacts.

Government incentives such as the GreenON Food Manufacturing program can help food manufacturers offset the cost of investing in new technologies. The program is specifically designed to support technology investments that help Ontario-based food manufacturers reduce GHG emissions and improve productivity.

The GreenON Food Manufacturing program offers up to 35-75% of eligible project expenses to a maximum $500k-$1M in Ontario government grants.

To apply for the GreenON Food Manufacturing program, Ontario-based food processors must submit a comprehensive application package during one of the program’s scheduled intake periods. At the time of this article’s posting, the GreenON Food Manufacturing program has an upcoming application intake from April 2018 to July 2018.

About GreenON Food Manufacturing Grants Ontario

The GreenON Food Manufacturing program provides government grants to deploy new or commercially-proven technologies that can significantly reduce GHG pollution. It has two streams of support:

GreenON Food Manufacturing: Retrofit Stream

GreenON Food Manufacturing’s Retrofit Stream provides Ontario government grants to adopt commercially-available clean technologies. These technologies must be known to reduce GHG emissions from food and beverage processing facilities.

Through the Retrofit Stream, Ontario food manufacturers may receive up to 35% of eligible project expenses to a maximum $500,000 in food technology grants.

Potential Projects Include:

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• Integrated monitoring/tracking equipment;
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP);
• Insulation;
• Process equipment upgrades;

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• Refrigeration upgrades;
• Combustion systems;
• Air balance improvements;
• By-product recovery;

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• Closed-loop water systems;
• Non-mechanical wastewater treatment;
• Constructed wetlands; and
• Carbon dioxide recovery.

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Food manufacturers requesting funding through this stream must validate the project’s economic and environmental outcomes. To do this, baseline assessments (for productivity and GHG emissions) must be completed, then compared to the expected project results. Only projects with significant improvements to productivity or GHGs are considered.

GreenON Food Manufacturing: Innovation Stream

GreenON Food Manufacturing’s Innovation Stream provides Ontario government grants to demonstrate new or lesser-known technologies that have the potential to reduce GHG emissions.

Through the Innovation Stream, Ontario food manufacturers may receive up to 75% of eligible project expenses to a maximum $1 million in food technology grants.

Potential Projects Include:

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• Power quality upgrades;
• Automated controls;
• Novel technologies;

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• Wastewater digestion;
• VOC destruction;

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• Waste heat recovery; and
• Solid waste digestion.

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Food manufacturers requesting funding through this stream must explain how innovative clean technologies are expected to improve productivity and reduce GHG emissions. Funding decisions made through this stream focus more on the technology’s level of innovation and potential for large-scale industry adoption.

Employer Eligibility: GreenON Food Manufacturing

To be deemed eligible for the GreenON Food Manufacturing program, applicants must:

• Be an Ontario-based food, beverage, or feed manufacturer;
• Be listed with a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS code) of 311 or 312; and
• Have maintained production facilities for at least one year.

Project Eligibility: GreenON Food Manufacturing

To be deemed eligible for the GreenON Food Manufacturing program, projects must:

• Occur in an Ontario-based facility;
• Achieve measurable GHG emission reductions that are verified by an accredited third-party expert; and
• Be in good financial and reporting standing with Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).

How to Apply for GreenON Food Manufacturing Funding

To participate in the GreenON Food Manufacturing program, food and beverage processors must develop a comprehensive application package that includes the facility’s baseline fuel consumption and waste metrics (both in cost and volume) from the previous operating year. Companies must also develop a case for their project, stating (with post-project estimates, if possible) how productivity and GHG emissions will be impacted through the adoption of new technologies.

The GreenON Food Manufacturing program accepts clean technology funding applications during defined intake periods. The current intake period is scheduled for April to July 2018.

Food manufacturers interested in applying for funding should propose projects with anticipated start dates no earlier than November 2018 to ensure all project expenses are eligible for Ontario government funding support.

To explore your business’ eligibility for the GreenON Food Manufacturing program and learn how to optimize the application process, please contact Mentor Works Ltd.