The Food Safety and Growth Initiative Intake 2 funds small agri-food businesses in Ontario that want to grow by modernizing their food safety systems or adopting new food safety and traceability equipment, technologies and standards. Funding comes through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), with up to $2 million allocated for this intake.
Who can apply: primary producers, processors or service providers in the agriculture or food sector with fewer than 100 employees at the project location. Each business may submit only one application under Intake 2. Projects must take place at facilities that produce, process or service listed food products — including ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables, meat products, dairy products, spreads and dips, and plant-based alternatives — and the funded costs must be tied directly to an eligible food product as the final product at the project location. Ready-to-eat meals, prepared meals and meal kits containing meat are not eligible.
Funding terms: if approved, a business receives 50% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of $75,000 per project. Projects must be completed by 15 October 2027. Funding already received for the same project through Sustainable CAP cannot be claimed again, and total assistance from all sources cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs.
How to apply: read the Initiative guidelines, complete the application form, and email the form plus required documents — written third-party quotes for the proposed costs, and a training course outline where training is part of the project — to SustainableCAP1@ontario.ca before the deadline. Applications are reviewed in the order received, and an acknowledgement email is sent within 5 business days. Because the initiative is already 75% subscribed, the funding may run out before the formal deadline.
