Helping Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Strengthen Their Businesses
November 9, 2023NORTH BAY – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing announced that the Ontario government is investing up to $1 million over two years through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) to support productivity and growth in the province’s maple syrup sector. The Maple Production Improvement Initiative will provide eligible local maple syrup producers access to cost-shared funding to support a range of activities to enhance their operations. Starting today, eligible businesses can apply for support through this program.
“The Maple Production Improvement Initiative is a great opportunity for Ontario maple syrup producers looking to scale up their operations,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “The initiative will support the purchase and installation of upgraded production equipment for eligible syrup producers, that increase productivity, efficiency, and growth, such as reverse osmosis or remote monitoring systems. It will also provide funding to cover a portion of certain woodlot management activities, including tree marking and the development of a forest plan, to assist the operation of eligible businesses.”
Project costs can be applied retroactively to April 1, 2023, when Sustainable CAP officially launched. Applicants can receive up to 50 per cent cost-share funding for eligible costs, to a maximum of $20,000 per project.
This initiative follows recent committed investments of up to $6 million through the Grow Ontario Market Initiative and more than $68 million through the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative.
To be eligible, applicants must have a minimum of 1,000 taps in operation as of April 1, 2023, and meet other criteria.
The Maple Production Improvement Initiative will be delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). More details about the initiative and its application process can be found here.
- To be eligible to participate in the Maple Production Improvement Initiative, an applicant must also have or be enrolled in at least one of the following: Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN), or an Order from the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal exempting the producer from having to have a FBRN, or a letter from the Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario, Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program and or Forest Stewardship Council certification.
- Ontario government calculations suggest that over 1,000 jobs and close to $42 million in gross domestic product (GDP) were attributed to the maple industry value chain (farm, processing and retail) in 2022.
- Building sector capacity and growth through realizing the potential of value added agri-food and agri-products were among the top priorities set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Grow Ontario
- Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association