At NorthBridge, we keep up to date on all the most recent government funding updates, intake announcements and upcoming deadlines so you don’t have to. Each month, we provide a summary of the most important news in government funding. Get in touch today to learn more about each program and assess your eligibility.
For: Ontario-based Farm businesses or Food Processors
Agri-Tech Innovation Cost Share Program – Early Adopters
Funding to help at-risk businesses reduce COVID-19 transmission in their facilities by adopting advanced manufacturing or automation technologies to reduce the need for labour intensive work. Projects need to prove and quantify how the adoption of the technology will reduce the need for employees to work in close proximity. Funding must be approved before incurring any project costs, and the project must be implemented and completed no later than November 30, 2022.
At-risk is defined as a farming facility or food processor that is a meat processing plant, primary food processing plant, and sugar/confectionary bakeries. Companies outside of these at-risk sectors will be considered for funding if the project yields strong and quantifiable benefits to reducing labour intensive work.
Innovative projects are given priority but not necessary. Innovative in this case is defined as any technology that been adopted for less than 20% of the sector. Support is needed to back this up in the form of letters from credible associations, academia or market research.
The deadline to apply for the Agri-Tech Innovation Cost-Share Program – Early Adopters funding is June 21, 2021.
For: BC-based Collaborative Research Projects
Innovate BC Ignite Program
Intake for Round 11 of the Ignite Program opened on June 1, 2021. The goal of the program is to fund advanced research and commercialization activities for collaborative projects that solve problems in core local sectors. The innovation should be novel to BC, and the outcome should have overall benefits to BC such that it is likely to be adopted broadly and have national and/or global market potential. Projects must be a collaboration between industry and academia.
The deadline to apply to the Ignite Program is June 30, 2021.
For: Agriculture and Agri-Food Companies looking to hire youth
Youth Employment and Skills Program
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will provide funds to employ an intern in a meaningful role within farms, food processing facilities or other agriculture related organizations. The program will fund internships beginning on April 15, 2021 (funding is retroactive), and ending by March 31, 2022.
Applications for the YESP program will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funding has been exhausted.
For: Alberta-based technology and knowledge-based SMEs
Alberta Innovates Voucher
The Voucher program helps Alberta companies by providing funding to cover the costs of up to three services providers for the purpose of business and technology development related to new product R&D; design, engineering and prototype development; product testing and refinement; patent development; advanced market assessments; and other activities determined on a case-by-case basis.
The Voucher is an open-call format.