Canada and Ontario Invest $2 Million to Help Small Agri-Food Businesses Grow, Strengthen Food Safety

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The governments of Canada and Ontario announced on Oct. 5 in Toronto a joint $2-million investment to help small agri-food businesses across the province expand operations and enhance food safety. Delivered through Ontario's Food Safety and Growth Initiative, the funding will equip businesses with food-safety equipment and technology, food traceability systems and process improvements.

The initiative supports small businesses that produce, process or service specific products, such as bagged salads, cheese and ice cream, and have fewer than 100 employees at the project location. Funding can reach up to $75,000 per project.

The first intake, launched in 2024, supported 90 projects and helped create more than 70 good-paying full- and part-time jobs. The second intake opens on Oct. 19, 2026 and runs until Mar. 1, 2027, or until the funding is fully committed.

Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said the investment will help small businesses modernize food-safety systems and adopt new technologies, strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of Ontario's agri-food supply chain. Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Sam Oosterhoff said that amid economic uncertainty, the funding protects workers and businesses while building a more secure, self-reliant agri-food sector.