FedNor investments support jobs, growth and agri-food opportunities across Northern Ontario

COVID-19 has underscored the importance of a safe, resilient food supply for all Canadians. Securing our food system begins in the field, and the Government of Canada is working with agri-food businesses and organizations in Northern Ontario and across the country to foster innovation and help producers embrace new technologies, increase productivity, develop value-added products and expand to new markets.

The Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor), is investing more than $3 million to support Northern Ontario agri-food producers and organizations. This will help Northern Ontario’s agricultural sector innovate, grow and play a major role in the region’s economic recovery.

Recent agri-food-focused initiatives supported by FedNor

Kenora

Cloverbelt Country Meats Cooperative
$150,000

Upgrade the abattoir, located just west of Dryden, to make it more competitive through improvements that reduce energy costs, increase capacity and production volumes, and support the development of value-added products.

Nickel Belt

Local Food and Farm Co-Operative
$356,576

Coordinate priority activities of the new Northern Ontario Food Distribution Network and provide value-chain coordination, training and advisory support to communities and food co-operatives across Northern Ontario. The goal is to improve market access and enterprise start-up and scale-up for food and farm producers, processors, social enterprises and co-operatives.

Nipissing–Timiskaming

Reliable Elevators
$420,000

A repayable contribution to purchase and install a high capacity grain handler dryer to respond to consumer demand in the Earlton-New Liskeard region, enhance the quality of yields, increase exports and create jobs.

Sault Ste. Marie

Fair Finance Fund
$418,125

Expand Northern Ontario investor and loan client participation over a three-year period to mobilize equitable and accessible capital for Northern food and farm enterprises that create social, environmental and economic benefits.

Sudbury

Social Planning Council of Sudbury
$31,500

Hire a youth intern to support local and regional food economic initiatives in Northern Ontario by assisting with research, data collection and analysis, market information and knowledge sharing.

Collège Boréal
$363,173

Hire an agronomist and agricultural technologist for a three-year period to assist with applied research and development projects that will create innovative agricultural technologies and support agricultural businesses in developing and selecting plant varieties that can thrive in Northern Ontario’s challenging climate.

Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario
$245,892

Promote innovation and expansion in sustainable agriculture, particularly targeting young farmers with mentoring, clean tech adoption and on-farm research and innovation.

Thunder Bay–Rainy River

Association of Community Pastures
$43,502

Establish a rotational grazing system for local community pastures organization to increase carrying capacity and improve quality of forage production.

Rainy River Future Development Corporation
$129,000

Hire an agricultural, as well as investment advisor to support the growing agricultural sector in the Rainy River District.

Regional Food Distribution Association
$100,000

Explore the economic viability of developing a value-added food processing business line and becoming a social enterprise, thereby improving its financial sustainability and providing local opportunities for area farmers. 

Thunder Bay–Superior North

Lakehead University
$55,290

Hire a youth intern to perform industry-oriented field crop research at the Lakehead University’s Agricultural Research Station to create opportunities for local farmers to increase yields, profitability and business growth.

Timmins—James Bay

Town of Cochrane
$600,986

Construct a grain handling and storage facility at the community’s multi-modal site to support the expansion of the region’s agricultural sector and to service farms in the Cochrane District.

Town of Hearst
$63,000

Intern to assist with research to determine obstacles to livestock farming expansion in the Highway 11 North region.

Related Products

• News Release: Government of Canada invests in agri-food producers and organizations in Northern Ontario

Associated Links

• Government of Canada COVID-19 Resources for Agriculture and the Agri-food Industry
• Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
• Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
• To find out more about our programs and services, please visit: fednor.gc.ca
• Follow us on Twitter @FedNor
• Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA