Sourcing the World in Ontario, Toronto $28,255

Burnac Produce Ltd. will look into how foodservice providers can substitute the imported produce they use with fresh Ontario-grown products. They will work with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers to try to identify and test an Ontario tomato variety that can replace or offset dependence on the “gas-green” tomato currently being imported from the United States. The project partners will also work with Ontario farmers to increase the production of okra, Chinese long bean, eggplant, bittermelon, karella, specialty tomatoes, and opa squash for Fortino’s and other retailers for the 2015 growing season.

For more information about Burnac Produce Ltd., visit their website and their Ontariofresh.ca profile. 

Feeding Halton, Burlington $25,000

Halton Fresh Food Box aims to increase access to fresh local food with a number of social service organizations and agricultural partners collaborating under the name Feeding Halton. They will assess the opportunities available within the Region of Halton for creating a local food hub to increase market access for local farmers, while providing their constituents with equitable access to healthy local food. They will also consider the capacity of local food companies and community kitchens to assist in the further processing of local products.

Eat Local Sudbury Food Hub Business Plan, Sudbury $17,200

Eat Local Sudbury will create a business plan for an expansion of their local food hub, which currently only serves the Sudbury area, to include LaCloche-Manitoulin, North Bay, Temiskaming, Muskoka, and parts of Algoma. Support for this project will help Eat Local Sudbury coordinate their research and planning as they seek to understand how much food is produced within these regions, and determine the demand for local food.

From the Ground Up - Supporting Municipalities to Buy Local, Toronto $50,000

Sustain Ontario will implement the recommendations resulting from the planning grant awarded in 2013. They will work with Durham Region, Chatham-Kent, and Bruce County to refine and implement local food procurement plans in a variety of institutions including long-term care homes, daycares, municipal offices, and a convention center.

Ontario Goat Milk: Assessing Market Opportunities in the BPS, Guelph $25,000

Ontario Goat Breeders Association is working to quantify the market opportunities for goat milk in the Broader Public Sector. This includes benchmarking current goat milk sales, and identifying areas for future growth. They will also determine what the current consumption levels are of goat milk/goat milk products such as yogurt and ice cream, and the barriers to increased consumption within the BPS.

Developing the Ontario BPS-Food and Beverage Processing Sector Value Chain, Guelph $25,000

Food and Beverage Ontario will build awareness of the local food market opportunities in the Broader Public Sector to their members. This will result in a discussion paper outlining the main product needs and opportunities in the BPS followed by a business development workshop.