Support to Sustain Canada’s Supply Management System  

Canada’s Supply Management Processing Investment Fund will contribute up to 50% to a maximum of $5 million in non-repayable (i.e., grant) funding to assist “supply-managed commodities adapt to market changes resulting from the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)”. Eligible applicants are federally or provincially registered/licensed, who have been in operation and have generated financial statements/income for at least 2 years during which time they have purchased raw supply-managed commodities (e.g., poultry further processors transform raw chicken and/or turkey into meat or meat products), and include:

• • Dairy processors
  • Poultry Primary processors (chicken and turkey)
  • Poultry Further processors (chicken and turkey)
  • Hatcheries (broiler, egg-type or turkey)
  • Egg graders
  • Egg processors

Program contribution is 50% for companies with 499 (i.e., SMEs) or fewer employees and 25% for processors with 500 or more employees. Eligible expenses are limited to the cost of new technology and equipment as well as third-party consulting/service fees. Building retrofits and expansions costs are not supported.

Funding priority is given to SMEs, first-time applicants and projects that improve productivity. The total program budget is $292.5 million, and the program will support expenses up to March 31, 2028.

Application Intake Closes in 2 Weeks!

The Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) program offers grants of up to $5 million for the advancement of CCUS technologies that significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program supports projects related to:

1. CO₂ capture process/technology development (including novel cryogenic and hybrid processes)
2. Materials development and CO₂ capture chemistry (e.g. advances solvents, adsorbents)
3. Membrane-based separation technologies
4. CO₂ purification and treatment (including compression)
5. Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, or other computational methods for CO₂ capture
6. Design improvements to enhance input flexibility and system operability (e.g. quicker start-ups)

Eligible expenses include:

• Employee training, salaries and benefits;
• Contracted professional, scientific and technical services;
• Travel, meals and accommodations;
• Capital expenditures (e.g., purchase, installation, testing and commissioning of equipment)
• Data collection (e.g., processing, analysis and management);
• Facility rentals, license and permit fees;
• Diagnostic/testing tools, materials and supplies
• Project-related overhead (up to 15% of eligible expenditures)

Funding supports the research, development and demonstration of early-stage or pre-commercial technologies at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 2-7. New technologies must have the potential to improve system performance, reduce costs, as well as facilitate technology transfer, scale-up and commercialization.

R&D projects may receive up to 75% funding to a maximum of $2.5 million; applicants must request at least $500,000. Eligible R&D activities include:

• Development, assessment, testing and integration of new/innovative equipment, software and methods, such as:
  • Proof of concept of new technologies (e.g., pilot plants, prototypes)
  • Analytical tools and modelling software
• Field trials to identify R&D needs before pre-commercial technology demonstration
• Capacity building and training
• Assessments or characterization studies (e.g., data compilations and syntheses)

Demonstration projects may receive up to 50% funding to a maximum of $5 million; applicants must request a minimum of $1 million from the program. Demonstration activities include:

• Installation and demonstration of a pre-commercial technology in its operational environment
• Modifications to accommodate an innovative technology or process
• Installation of equipment and infrastructure to support technology demonstration
• Testing and analysis of pre-commercial technology to assess operational performance
• Engineering and designs for technology demonstrations

Eligible applicants are Canadian incorporated businesses, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous and community groups, academic institutions, provincial/territorial/regional/municipal governments and agencies. The deadline to apply is October 3, 2022.   

Application Intake Opens in 10 Days

Natural Resources Canada ISO 50001 program offers up to 75% grant funding to a maximum of $40,000 to help implement ISO 50001 System Standards in commercial and institutional buildings. Eligible ISO 50001 projects are:

• Feasibility Studies
• Feasibility Studies with Action Commitment
• ISO 50001 Compliance
• ISO 50001 Certification*

Eligible costs include:

• employee salaries
• professional, scientific and technical services
• data collection, benchmarking, monitoring and analysis services
• purchase of instrumentation software and metering equipment (other capital costs are ineligible)
• training
• project-related equipment/facility rentals, materials and supplies

Eligible organizations include commercial/institutional buildings owners and operators, municipal/provincial/territorial governments, utilities, industry associations, as well as Indigenous organizations. For-profit organizations may receive up to 60% project funding. Applications for multiple projects are allowed, however support is limited to $200,000 per fiscal year (i.e. April 1-March 31). Next intake opens September 19; the deadline to apply is October 21, 2022.

*Please note that re-certification projects are ineligible.

Up to $2 Million for Collaborative R&D

The Plastics Solutions for Food: Reduction, Replacement, and Recyclability program offers 50% grant funding up to $2 million for collaborative, industry-led development of sustainable solutions to reduce, replace and recycle plastics within Canada’s food sector. Funding supports R&D projects that result in the development and/or demonstration of new technology-driven products, processes, or services at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1-7.

Eligible expenses include but are not limited to project-related equipment purchases, subcontractor and consultant fees, materials costs, direct labour, property leasing, plus building expansion and/or upgrades.

Project partners must include a minimum of two independent companies with fewer than 500 employees and less than $50 million annual revenue. Additionally, collaboration with not-for-profit groups, research centers and learning institutions is encouraged if these organizations facilitate private-sector funded R&D. All partners must provide financial and/or other resources to the project. Funding preference will be given to collaborations with numerous partners.

Note that successful applicants must pay the organization administering the fund an upfront contingency fee of 5% against the entire project budget.

Letters of Intent will be accepted until Tuesday October 11, 2022.

Up to $150,000 for Product Development

The Matching Investment Fund offers grants of up to $150,000 towards the development of new/innovative products that will increase demand for Canadian dairy ingredient(s). Activities and funding limits are as follows:

Consultation: 50% up to $25,000 for accessing expert advice related to product development, market research, technical services, food processing, management, marketing, as well as dairy and food science. Eligible costs include consultant and sub-contractor fees.

Product Development: 50% up to $150,000 for consulting fees, direct labour, materials and equipment costs related to product analysis, trials and technology transfer, including industrial scale tests, retrofitting of facilities, sample preparations, and the adoption of new or existing technologies and packaging techniques.

Businesses with less than 25 employees may receive up to 100% funding for the first $10,000 of expenses incurred ($5,000 for consultation and $5,000 for product development), and 50% for subsequent eligible costs. Proposed new products must not displace or compete with existing Canadian dairy goods. Additionally, projects must address a technical challenge associated with incorporating Canadian dairy ingredients and/or developing new dairy products. Projects that lead to increased use of solids non-fat (SNF) ingredients (e.g., skim milk powder, milk protein concentrate, liquid skim milk) will be given priority and may receive an increased level of funding.

Program Supports Obtaining Certification Required to Access International Markets

The AgriAssurance program offers 50% grant funding up to $50,000 towards obtaining third-party certification required to access international markets. Funding is available to Canadian agriculture/agrifood businesses (including fish and seafood) with fewer than 250 employees and less than $50 million annual revenue. Eligible expenditures include:

• Contracted Professional Services
• Hiring New Employees
• Travel

Supported project costs must directly relate to achieving first-time certification needed to address a specific export opportunity (e.g. obtaining Costco U.S. Addendum, Wholefoods’ Global Animal Partnership). The deadline to apply is September 30, 2022.