The federal and Ontario governments are investing up to $10 million to expand meat processing capacity.
The money is from their Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Ir will, however, do nothing to address the chronic shortage of hog and beef slaughter capacity.
“Ontario's meat processing industry meets the highest standards for producing high-quality food and is constantly striving to innovate," said Marie-Claude Bibeau, past-federal minister of agriculture. "This investment will help the industry continue to grow through new productivity-improving technologies.”
Up to $150,000 per applicant is available to free-standing meat plants and abattoirs to make short-term investments in meat handling and processing equipment, technologies, and practices that improve efficiency, productivity, and food safety.
"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,” said Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson. “Not only will this initiative have a positive impact for Ontario meat processors, but we’re also increasing competitiveness in a global market.”
The action builds on previous investments of more than $14 million under the same federal-provincial program.
