SUPPORT FOR BUYING FREEZERS AND CONVEYORS

Ontario’s Meat Processors Capacity Improvement Initiative is offering 60% non-repayable funding to a maximum of $150,000 to Ontario provincially and federally licensed meat processors towards increasing productivity and efficiency. Support is for new and/or refurbished equipment plus related expenses (e.g., minor building retrofits) made between July 26, 2023, and March 1, 2024.  Eligible activities and expenses consist of:

• Increased cooler/freezer capacity including:
  • Reefer trailers
  • Condenser units
  • Seals on cooler/ freezer doors
  • Air flow upgrades in coolers/ freezers (e.g. fans)
• Waste management handling/processing, including:
  • Equipment and structures to handle, store and dispose of deadstock and processing by-products (e.g. blood and wastewater holding tanks)
  • Equipment and structures to handle, store and dispose of SRM (e.g. chilled and frozen storage, SRM screen system for whole plant)
  • In-vessel composting, treatment and disposal (e.g., hides, feathers, deadstock)
• Animal handling/processing, including:
  • Barn/holding pen upgrades (e.g. chute design, increase size/capacity)
  • Animal restraints/knock boxes/upgrades (e.g. non-slip floor, upright restraints)
  • Kill floor/evisceration room equipment (e.g. Stunning equipment, hoists, bleed rail, saws, pneumatic skinning knife, hide pullers, leg cutters)
• Product Handling/processing, including:
  • Conveyer/rail systems, winches, hydraulics, skinning beds/cradles, automated tote washer, scales, vacuum packaging, mixers, ETC.

Engineering/professional services as well as training and labour costs associated with the acquisition of eligible equipment are also supported by the program.

Activities and expenses that do not directly increase productivity/efficiency, including the purchase of ERP software and solutions, are not eligible. The program does not support mobile and leased equipment or seafood/fish processors. Deadline January 31, 2024