Feds, Ontario invest over $5.4M to help food processors automate

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $5.4 million to help food processors to implement automation, robotics and advanced manufacturing, and to implement technology to improve food safety.

The investments, made through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, will support more than 75 projects across Ontario and strengthen the province’s agri-food supply chain. The projects are expect to improve food safety, increase labour productivity and enable better access to markets.

“Our food processors are an integral part of our province’s economic recovery from this outbreak,” says Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs.

“By investing in this sector, we are helping our homegrown processors become more competitive, more innovative and better positioned to keep supplying safe, quality foods for domestic and international markets.”

Some of the major investments include:

• Up to $200,000 for a processing and packaging line to improve product quality and consistency, reduce labour costs and increase capacity at Arla Fine Foods in York Region.
• Up to $101,000 for the purchase and installation of a palletizing robot for two flour tortilla lines at Sonora Foods in Toronto.
• Over $110,000 for the installation of automated packaging equipment, weighing and labelling equipment at A. Lococo Wholesale in Hamilton.
• Up to $100,000 for the implementation of a first-time enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to replace manual processes at Big Country Raw in Niagara Region.
• Up to $150,000 for for a new robotic bagging machine, conveyor system and palletizer to increase product capacity and reduce manual labour processes at Ontario Specialty Grains in Oxford County.

To see the full list of approved projects, click here.