Bakers Journal

Agri-Tech Innovation Program offers funding for Ontario bakeries looking to automate

August 23, 2021
By Bakers Journal

The Ontario government is investing in new partnerships in agri-food innovation, including pilot projects in robotics and artificial intelligence.

The funding aims to help the baking industry address pandemic related challenges, ongoing labour shortages, and create new opportunities for growth across the sector. The Agri-tech Innovation Program complements the province’s Prevention, Control and Outbreak Support Strategy, which recommends 35 actions to prevent and control COVID-19 maintain the sustainability and viability of the agri-food sector.

The Innovator Stream is the targeted second phase of the Agri-tech Innovation Program, a $22 million program launched in April to provide up to 60 per cent funding for eligible costs, to a maximum of $750,000, to develop larger-scale collaboration projects aimed at enhancing the health and safety of workers and increasing productivity.

The Innovator Stream intake focuses on ground-breaking projects where innovation is new to Ontario, North America or the agri-sector. Funding eligibility will include targeted, specialized, high-impact projects that pilot or demonstrate cutting-edge technology. Projects will require collaboration between at least two agri-food businesses, organizations and agri-food technology providers or developers.

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“To be a highly competitive food and beverage processing industry globally, we must be forward thinking on innovation,” said Chris Conway, CEO, Food and Beverage Ontario in a statement. “This program will make it possible for leaders in technology and business to work together on priority issues such as labour productivity and develop new solutions that will benefit the entire industry.”

The Innovators Stream intake will run from August 19 to September 27, 2021. For more information, click |HERE|


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