Government of Canada opens applications for federal programs under Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership

Press Release

March 6, 2023

Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced that applications are now being accepted for federal programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) that will go into effect on April 1, 2023. Federal, provincial and territorial governments are investing a record $3.5 billion in the new 5-year agreement to position the sector for continued success as a global leader in agriculture that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.

The federal programs, which include AgriAssurance, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriDiversity, AgriInnovate, AgriMarketing and AgriScience, are currently delivered through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and are being renewed for 5 years to support key priority areas, including:

strengthening the sector’s ability to grow by focusing on technological advances, attracting a new generation of farmers and creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce
accelerating the development and adoption of research and innovation in both primary agriculture and value-added processing
advancing measurable action on climate change and the environment, including a reduction of 3-5 megatonnes in greenhouse gas emissions
expanding markets for Canadian exports through global business development and trade promotion, supported by a stronger and more resilient supply chain, with a goal of increasing exports to $95 billion and overall industry sales to $250 billion by 2028
establishing even greater trust in the sector by developing and enhancing quality and safety assurance systems.

The six federal programs are part of a $1 billion investment that also includes support for trade policy and market access, market development, market information and regulations, sector engagement tables, and foundational science led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

In addition to these programs, the Sustainable CAP includes $2.5 billion in cost-shared programming that will be delivered by provincial and territorial governments. Bilateral agreements between the Government of Canada and the provincial and territorial governments are in the process of being finalized.

The Sustainable CAP will enable agriculture to be an innovative, productive and internationally competitive sector that can continue to feed Canada and a growing global population at a time when rising costs and global food security are significant concerns.

Quotes

“The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership includes a suite of programs that will allow our producers and processors to remain competitive and profitable while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the sector. By opening applications for federal programs today, we are ensuring that there will be no interruption in funding between the old and the new partnership.”

– The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick facts

The Sustainable CAP was developed in consultation with a broad group of stakeholders from across Canada.
Cost-shared funding for programs delivered by provinces and territories has been increased by $500 million to $2.5 billion, up 25% from the current Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Details and applications for federal programs are now available online for AgriAssurance, AgriCompetitiveness, AgriDiversity, AgriInnovate, AgriMarketing and AgriScience at agriculture.canada.ca/sustainable-cap.
The agriculture and agri-food value chain continues to be an economic engine driving Canada’s economy, contributing nearly $135 billion of national GDP, and responsible for more than 2 million jobs (1 in 9 jobs) in Canada.
Exports of agriculture, agri-food, fish and seafood products grew to $92.6 billion in 2022, compared to $82.4 billion in 2021.