Canada backs northwestern Ontario food hub with C$500,000 to boost agri-food sector
Kenora/Ontario: Canada will invest nearly C$500,000 to help establish a regional food hub in northwestern Ontario aimed at supporting agri-food businesses, expanding food production and improving access to domestic and export markets.
Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu, who is also responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), announced a C$499,780 investment for the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre (NOIC) to develop the Food Enterprises Advancement and SME Transformation (FEAST) programme.
The three-year project will create a regional food hub in Kenora that will provide financial assistance, business advisory services, shared manufacturing facilities and training for agri-food entrepreneurs and small-scale food manufacturers.
The facility, to be located at the Seven Generations Education Institute, will include a commercial kitchen, refrigeration, packing and storage space to help businesses increase production, meet regulatory requirements and access new retail, food service and export markets.
The government said the initiative is expected to directly support nearly 20 small and medium-sized enterprises while addressing gaps in food processing and storage infrastructure across northwestern Ontario.
The project will also place a strong emphasis on supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs through its partnership with the Seven Generations Education Institute, providing culturally relevant business support and training.
"Projects like the regional food hub are about backing local entrepreneurs and building a stronger, more self-reliant food economy in Northwestern Ontario," Hajdu said in a statement.
The investment forms part of the federal government's broader efforts to strengthen Canada's domestic agri-food sector and improve food security by helping small businesses expand production and build more resilient regional supply chains.
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