Agriculture can be a difficult industry to get into, especially for those that were not raised in it. Access to land, equipment and practical experience are often essential for creating a successful business model, and while there are courses and schools that can help with the knowledge piece, agriculture is an industry that typically requires a very large capital investment to get a start in. For some populations, there are additional hurdles to overcome.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness have announced up to $1.5 million dollars in grant funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership in order to support Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities, youth, women or members of French linguistic minority communities.
The new Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative (AWEDI) will be open for applications as of October 8, 2024, and will remain open until December 3, 2024. The program is open to organizations, research bodies, municipalities, or Indigenous communities.
For a submitted project to be successful, it will need to support at least one of the above groups of people to access spaces and equipment to grow or process agri-food products, as well as resources to help with financing.
AWEDI is to be administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. Successful applicants can receive up to 85 per cent of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $100,000, in funding for a project under the initiative. Details on how to apply are available online.
