Growing Forward 2: Sector Engagement
To help support the development of Growing Forward 2, a Canadian government funding program, the federal, provincial and territorial governments have engaged with a broad range of industry stakeholders. The many discussions and opinions have been heard and will be taken into account when creating this new five-year framework.
Funding for Small Business Support
The Growing Forward 2 consultations included a series of online and face-to-face national and provincial engagement sessions with the following:
- Farmers
- Processors
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- National organizations
- Formal advisory groups
This was completed through two phases:
- Phase 1: included series of national and regional workshops. There were over 400 farm leaders and key value chain stakeholders who discussed the current state of the sector, key drivers shaping its future and challenges or opportunities it may face.
- Phase 2: consisted of bilateral meetings with provincial federations of agriculture, meetings with young farmers and innovators, public meetings across the country, and opportunities for online submissions. Over 500 participants discussed the roles of government and industry in achieving the desired outcomes.
This new agreement includes a 50% increase in governments’ cost-shared investments in innovation, market development and competitiveness. The past Growing Forward framework agreement focused on achieving results reflects input from across the sector and delivers programs that are simple and tailored to local needs.
Canadian Government Funding Support for Agriculture Industry
Businesses interested in learning more about various agricultural funding programs should strongly consider contacting one of our Canadian Government Funding experts or signing up for our Weekly Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter to receive updates when Growing Forward 2 becomes available.