Local Line Food Hub Project, Kitchener $28,316

Local Line will build custom local food hub software for Ontario food hubs, based on a market assessment of the needs of Ontario’s existing food hubs. The platform will leverage existing Local Line marketplace and reporting software to create easy-to-use software for new and established local food hubs.

Growing Opportunities for Local Poultry, Pembroke $14,550

Reiche Meat Products will meet a significant gap in the agricultural system in Renfrew County by establishing poultry processing facilities, which are currently not available in the county. The availability of an abattoir in the county will allow existing small-scale poultry farms to scale up and meet growing demand for local poultry at farmers’ markets and in stores. The project is expected to increase local food sales by $100,000 and bring 20 new farmers to market.

Increasing Access for Local Neyaashiing Smoked Fish Products, Neyaashiinigmiing $13,250

Neyaashiing Smoked Fish will invest in upgrades to its smoking facility to improve food preparation, food safety and production output. This will allow Neyaashiing Smoked Fish to increase access to new markets for smoked fish sourced and processed in First Nations communities, both through retail and wholesale market channels.

Grow West Carleton – Food Hub, Ottawa $48,500

Deep Roots Food Hub will increase access to local produce by investing in a new co-packing approach for its root cellar, providing storage, distribution and marketing opportunities to area farmers. In addition, the project will expand the Good Food Box program and include an “Eat West Carleton” promotional campaign.

Homegrown – Local Food Project, Kitchener $42,840

Flanagan Foodservice is Canada’s largest family-owned foodservice distributor and will increase sales of Ontario foods by increasing its local food offerings, improving traceability, and investing in a promotional campaign to improve awareness of Ontario food available to its customers. The project is expected to increase local food sales by $1 million in 2017.

Northern Ontario Mobile Growing Facility, Lively $52,283

Greenhouses Canada will purchase a mobile “grow truck” to serve as an indoor demonstration and training site, and allow for transportation of fresh produce to remote northern communities (including on seasonal ice roads). The project is expected to increase local food sales by $117,000.

Season-Extension, Value-Adding Processing and Services, Lyndhurst $71,538

Wendy’s Country Market will retrofit a cow barn into a local food processing and storage facility to offer season-extending and value-added processing to local farmers. The facility will create new processed products including jams, jellies, preserves, dried fruit, and frozen entrees.

Processing and Distribution Hub, Bradford $72,500

Cohn Farms will be scaling up capacity at its processing and distribution hub to meet growing demand for local food, which is outpacing supply. The project is expected to double the number of farms supplying Cohn Farms to 25-30, create over 15 full-time equivalent jobs, and increase sales of local food by over $4m per year.

Improving Access to Halal Chicken in Ontario, Etobicoke $75,000

Sheik Halal Farms will invest in new equipment to increase production of halal duck and chicken. As Canada’s largest halal duck processor, Sheik Halal will build on its relationships with Ontario poultry and Mennonite farmers to increase capacity to meet growing demand for halal meet.

Implementation of New Juice Press to Increase Production and Access to Ontario Market $75,000

Greenhouse Juice Company will purchase a new juice press system that will enable them to increase production of juices using local Ontario produce tenfold.