New food scale-up facility and PEI Potato Industry Market Diversification and Recovery Plan will help producers and agri-food businesses expand and diversify markets
March 11, 2022 · Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Prince Edward Island is home to a strong and vibrant food economy, built on the Island’s natural resources and an innovative value-added food manufacturing sector. As market and consumer demands evolve, PEI’s agri-food industry continues to adapt and grow through increased automation, strategic collaboration, and market diversification. The Government of Canada is taking steps to ensure farmers and agri-food businesses are ready to expand and diversify by investing in facilities and infrastructure they need to compete on the world stage.
Strengthening the food innovation ecosystem and the PEI potato sector
Today, Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, announced a federal investment of $2.7 million for two projects to support recovery and growth in PEI’s food ecosystem. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.
The Government of Canada is contributing $2 million through Canada’s Jobs and Growth Fund to Central Property Management Inc. (CPM) to transform an existing building in Borden-Carleton into a multi-tenant, food scale-up facility certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), called Food Works. This new incubator space will strengthen the innovation ecosystem in PEI, create new jobs and be a catalyst for growth in the food sector.
A further contribution of $700,000 through ACOA’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program will support the PEI Potato Industry Market Diversification and Recovery Plan. The investment will bring together PEI’s Food Island Partnership and the PEI Potato Board to strengthen the PEI potato brand while focusing on product safety and quality. The plan will also support market diversification to reach new markets.
Today’s announcement demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to the food industry in Atlantic Canada, supporting growth and job opportunities in rural communities, and working with innovative Atlantic Canadian organizations to boost Canada’s global competitiveness.