Canadian Agricultural Partnership Supports Wine Industry With $10M

The Canadian wine industry is continuing to grow and innovate to remain globally competitive in an evolving sector. To ensure businesses can thrive in Canada’s agri-food and beverage environment, the government of Canada is supporting the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN) and the Canadian Vintners Association with federal government funding. This support will help enhance Canada’s international reputation as a top cool-climate wine producer.

Under the AgriScience and AgriMarketing streams of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, $9.9M in grants are being invested into two wine-producing organizations.

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience and AgriMarketing streams provide new growth opportunities for agri-food industries with funding to directly support business competitiveness. Funding from AgriScience and AgriMarketing will allow the awarded organizations to implement research and development activities benefitting the agri-food and beverage sector, as well as the opportunity to participate in trade shows/trade events for international export expansion initiatives.

$10M in Federal Government Funding Helps Canadian Wine Industry

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN) is a recent not for profit collaboration between the Grape Growers of Ontario, Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia, Quebec Wine Council, and the British Columbia Wine Grape Council. CGCN’s purpose is to advance the Canadian grape and wine industry, in part by ensuring a sustainable supply of certified propagative grapevine material.

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network has received $8.4M in government funding from the AgriScience program to address key opportunities and challenges in the sector.  

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network had applied for the AgriScience program’s Clusters component with the intention to develop a strategy for best management practices in the vineyards. With the support of the funding, they have created a national research cluster, “Fostering Sustainable Growth of the Canadian Grape and Wine Sector,” and will be performing Canadian Grape and Wine research with 23 activities over five years. These activities will help manage grapevine virus diseases, manage soil, water and crop quality, and improve the overall quality of Canadian wines.

The Canadian Vintners Association is the national voice of large, medium, and small wineries across Canada, representing over 90% of all wine produced in Canada. The organization is devoted to improving the business success and return on investment for individual wineries, while assuring continual prosperity of the Canadian wine industry.

The Canadian Vintners Association has received $1.5M in federal government funding from the AgriMarketing program.

Awarded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriMarketing program, the funding will allow the industry association to participate in activities like missions, trade shows, promotions in traditional markets, as well as international trade events to help develop new global markets.

Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience and AgriMarketing

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a federal-provincial-territorial government funding program providing many streams of financial support for the agri-food industry. Two of the federal streams of this program include AgriScience and AgriMarketing.

AgriScience

The AgriScience program is designed to help businesses accelerate the pace of innovation and research and development for projects that benefit the agricultural and agri-food sector, either self-sufficiently, or as part of an innovation cluster.

AgriScience provides up to 50% for businesses and up to 70% for non-profits to a maximum $5M. In-kind contributions may be considered for up to 10% of the applicant’s cost-share.

Project types that are eligible for funding include strengthening knowledge transfer and adoption, investing in discovery and applied science for major commodity sectors, and enhancing efforts in clean growth, environment, and climate change.

AgriMarketing

The AgriMarketing program is designed to support export expansion projects undertaken by agri-food and beverage companies to develop an international customer base.

The AgriMarketing program provides a non-repayable grant up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum $50k.

Project types that are eligible for funding include marketing and advertising activities related to exporting, participating in foreign trade shows and missions, and development of market strategies.

Both programs are currently open, accepting a continuous intake of applications until March 31, 2023 or until funding is depleted.

Canadian agri-food businesses exploring export markets can access time-saving tools and resources by downloading Mentor Works’ Business Guide to Export Expansion white paper.