Businesses will grow with support from an over $12-million investment in agri-food sector

March 4, 2025 – Oakville, Ontario  

From farm to table, Canada’s agri-food sector connects farmers, suppliers, and processors to deliver fresh, nutritious, local food while driving economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening communities. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in businesses to support the growth of the agri-food sector and build a stronger, more sustainable future for Canadians.

Today, the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Minister of Democratic Institutions and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), along with the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade and Member of Parliament for Oakville, visited Gastronomous Technologies (Gastronomous). Minister Sahota also met with representatives from the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN), a national not-for-profit organization that connects the Canadian food ecosystem to fresh insights, ideas, and technologies to grow their business and increase their innovation capacity.

To support these efforts, Minister Sahota announced over $2.7 million to launch the Unpuzzle Mentorship Program for foodtech entrepreneurs, as well as the FoodTech NOW Funding Program. Through these programs, CFIN will help participants grow their businesses as they commercialize new products and develop advanced technologies for use in the southern Ontario food manufacturing sector.

Minister Sahota also announced over $9.3 million for six other agri-food companies and organizations: Agrocrop Exports Ltd., CATTLEytics Inc., Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network, Original Foods Limited, VEL Bars and Vive Crop Protection, supporting their growth, productivity and competitiveness  in the agri sector across southern Ontario. Information on the projects is included in the backgrounder.   

The Government of Canada is committed to working with local partners to strengthen and support Canada’s agri-food sector by investing in projects that promote regional growth, economic development and the adoption of sustainable technologies, while supplying fresh local foods to fuel Canadians.