Overview

The Agri-Food Energy Cost Savings Initiative is designed to support competitiveness, profitability, growth and long-term sustainability of agri-food processors by implementing technologies and processes to increase energy efficiency in their operations.

This cost-share initiative will help agri-food processors lower their overall operational costs to be more competitive and sustainable. Funding from this initiative will be used to support projects that prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions by investing in new technology, equipment, as well as building or facility modifications to help achieve this goal.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the initiative you must be a processor in the agri-food sector undertaking activities that promote energy efficiency that result in the reduction of overall operational costs. Further details on eligibility can be found the initiative guidelines.

Eligible activities

Under the initiative, eligible activities include:

  • purchase or modification of equipment and technology that improves energy efficiency
  • purchase or modification of water use equipment and technology that improves energy efficiency
  • purchase of energy monitoring controls and equipment and technology
  • building envelope energy efficiency improvements including:
    • renewable energy
    • lighting
    • ventilation
    • heating
    • refrigeration
    • water heating and cooling

Eligible costs

Under this initiative, eligible costs include:

  • equipment costs:
    • related to the purchase and installation of new equipment, parts, components and/or technology that improve energy efficiency
    • related to the purchase and installation of used or refurbished equipment, parts, components and/or technology that improve energy efficiency if purchases are made directly from an Original Equipment Manufacturer
  • water equipment costs related to the purchase, installation or modification of water use equipment and technology that improve energy efficiency (for example, Clean in Place (CIP) systems that use cold water instead of hot water, equipment to recover and reuse waste heat from processing water)
  • facility improvements costs related to building energy efficiency improvements (such as lighting, ventilation, heating, refrigeration)

Funding amounts

A recipient is eligible to receive 20% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $300,000 in funding per project under the initiative.

Application period

Applications will be accepted from April 27, 2023 until June 5, 2023.

How to apply

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) administers cost-share funding to agri-food processors for this initiative.

Applicants can submit using the application form (PDF).

For information on how to properly fill out this form please read the program guidelines.

Completed application forms must be submitted by email to SustainableCAP1@ontario.ca no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on June 5, 2023. Application forms submitted after this date will not be accepted.

Applicants can only apply to the initiative once.