Meat Processors Capacity Improvement (MPCI) Program: Up to $150K for Eligible Projects

Through the $3.5 billion Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), federal, provincial, and territorial governments offer numerous funding opportunities intended to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s flourishing agriculture sector. With a total recent investment of up to $10 million, the governments of Canada and Ontario are committing to improve the capabilities of meat processing practices for Ontario’s meat plants and abattoirs.

The Meat Processors Capacity Improvement (MPCI) Program will provide up to $150,000 per eligible applicant for short-term investments that improve meat handling and processing such as equipment, technologies, and practices. The MPCI program will open on August 31, 2023.

There are around 480 provincially licensed and 239 federally licensed abattoirs and free-standing meat plants in Ontario that can take advantage of the MPCI program as eligible applicants. Funding projects as part of this SCAP program will support goals outlined in Ontario’s Grow Ontario Strategy, which includes increasing the sustainable production of food by 30 per cent by 2032.

“Ontario’s meat processing industry meets the highest standards for producing high-quality food and is constantly striving to innovate. This investment will help the industry continue to grow through new productivity-improving technologies.”
– Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

About the Meat Processors Capacity Improvement (MPCI) Program

Please note that the MPCI program will be open as of August 31, 2023. As more information about the program becomes available, we will update this blog with important information. Stay up to date with the latest by subscribing to our free weekly e-newsletter.

The Meat Processors Capacity Improvement (MPCI) Program will offer up to $150,000 for eligible Ontario free-standing meat plants and abattoirs on eligible projects.

“This program is a prime example of how our government is making the right investments in the right places that have helped Ontario’s meat processing businesses. Not only will this initiative have a positive impact for Ontario meat processors, but we’re also increasing competitiveness in a global market.”
– Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Funding Amount

Successful applicants for this program will be eligible for the following funding allotments:

• A maximum of $150,000 in non-repayable grant funding.

Eligible Applicants

Currently the available information about eligible applicants includes that they must be:

• Free-standing meat processing plants and/or abattoirs located in Ontario.

Project Eligibility

Currently the available information about project eligibility states that MPCI program funding can cover:

• Short-term investments in meat handling and processing equipment, technologies, and/or practices that improve efficiency, productivity, and food safety; and/or
• Consulting and engineering planning costs related to this project may also be covered.

MPCI Program Timeline

Applications for the MPCI program open on August 31, 2023​.

Additional information about MPCI program deadlines includes:

• The application deadline is January 31, 2024, or until funding is fully allocated;
• Project costs can be incurred as of July 26, 2023;
• Equipment must be delivered by March 1, 2024; and
• Equipment must be installed by June 28, 2024.

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) Government Funding Programs

When the five-year $3-billion Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) agreement expired on March 31, 2023, the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) was introduced in Canada’s Federal Budget 2023 as its five-year (2023-2028), $3.5 billion replacement.

With a focus on helping agriculture sector businesses and producers to become more sustainable and help meet Canada’s zero-emissions goals by 2050, the partnership offers a multitude of SCAP funding programs federally, provincially, and territorially.

Trending SCAP programs currently include ones such as the Grow Ontario Market (GOM) Program, which offers up to $125,000 in cost-share funding for exporting and innovation projects. Applications are open until all funding is allocated.

Stay up to date with SCAP funding programs as they become available by signing up for our free weekly funding e-newsletter delivered to your inbox every Monday. To learn more about the landscape of Ontario’s agriculture sector and alternative funding opportunities available, please download our free Agri-Business Growth Guide.