AgriInnovate: $2.5M for Ocean Crisp Apple Company Inc.

The Canadian Federal Government recently announced support for the agri-food industry in Nova Scotia that will allow Ocean Crisp Apple Company to invest $2.5M to advance apple processing techniques. The investment will increase facility capacity, improve processing efficiencies, and contribute overall to the apple industry in Nova Scotia – which produces approximately three million bushels of apples annually.

$1,978,157 of the investment has come from the Canadian government funding program AgriInnovate, a branch of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP).

Agriculture funding via the AgriInnovate program will go towards first-in-Canada automation equipment, which has benefits ranging from reduced water usage, improved apple quality, and increases in capacity and efficiency to maintain a Canadian competitive advantage in this agri-food industry. The funding will also support the broader Atlantic apple orchardist eco-system through shared access to the robotic equipment, which will contribute to export growth of premium, in-demand apple varieties such as Honeycrisp and Ambrosia.

AgriInnovate: $1.9M for Atlantic Apple Producer

Close to $2M in funding for Ocean Crisp Apple Company was awarded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriInnovate program. An additional $500,000 in funding from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program was also announced to bring total government investment in support of this project to $2.5M.

“This investment which supports the adoption of innovative technologies will help the apple industry in Atlantic Canada keep up with increasing demand for their high-quality products. This kind of investment is vital to growing the middle class and bringing the region’s premium apples to consumers here in Canada and around the world.”
– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canadian Agricultural Partnership: AgriInnovate Stream

The AgriInnovate program is a five-year program launched in 2018 that encourages innovation among for-profit Canadian businesses operating in the agriculture or agri-food sector. The program is provided by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which represents a $3 billion federal investment used to disburse government grants and repayable funding contributions to SMEs, non-profits, and other key industry stakeholders.

Agriculture or agri-food sector businesses are eligible to receive up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum of $10 million as a repayable loan via AgriInnovate.

This program prioritizes applicants that demonstrate/commercialize an innovation new to the sector or country. Once new innovations have been considered, the fund will then prioritize:

• Advanced manufacturing, automation, and robotics;
• Projects strengthening value-added products/services;
• Adoption of clean technologies, including precision agriculture; and
• Projects securing/expanding export markets.

Applications to the AgriInnovate program will be accepted until March 31, 2023, or until funding has been fully committed.

To receive a guided overview of funding for agriculture projects supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, please register for an upcoming Agriculture and Agri-Food webinar.