On Friday, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, launched the $77.5 million Emergency Processing Fund (EPF) as part of the Government of Canada’s action to support Canadians and businesses facing hardship as a result of COVID-19.

“Canadian food processors are key to ensuring Canada’s food supply chain is protected during COVID-19, and beyond," said Bibeau. "Our Government understands the challenges that Canadian food processors, producers and manufacturers are facing. This Emergency Processing Fund will help our processors to adapt their activities to ensure the safety of their workers, and to increase their capacity of production.”

The program will prioritize projects based on two objectives:

Emergency COVID Response to assist companies to implement changes required by COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of workers.

This funding will assist with:

- plant retrofits or adjustments to existing operations to accommodate changes to processes and production;

- increasing capacity for herd management.

Strategic Investments to assist companies to improve, automate, and modernize facilities needed to increase Canada’s food supply capacity.

Activities can be retroactive to March 15, 2020, and must be completed by September 30, 2020.