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Ontario injects $4.7M into dozens of agri-food research and innovation projects

Agri-food projects across Ontario will benefit from a more than $4.7-million funding injection promised by the federal and provincial governments in an effort to bolster the sector amid the uncertainty of U.S. tariffs.

According to a recent press release, a total of 48 research and innovation projects will receive support through the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI), with funds through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

Additionally, the Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub, delivered by Bioenterprise Canada Corporation, has integrated 20 new agri-food and agri-tech companies to facilitate the development and commercialization of their innovations.

“It takes innovation to build a successful agri-food sector in Ontario and across the country,” said federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, in the release. “By investing in companies that bring forward bold ideas and practical solutions, we’re helping the sector seize new opportunities and stay competitive and resilient.”

OAFRI, which was launched in 2019 and receives financial support from Sustainable CAP as of 2023, provides funding across five research, innovation, and commercialization streams. Specific projects funded in the 2024-2025 call include applied research, commercialization, knowledge translation and transfer, and pilot and demonstration projects.

The Canadian greenhouse sector stands to benefit from several funded projects. In the applied research stream, two projects directly address plant health in greenhouses:

• Valerio Primomo at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is leading a project from 2025 to 2027 on molecular technologies to control tomato brown rugose fruit virus in greenhouse tomato.
• Majid Pahlevani at Queen’s University is leading a project from 2025 to 2027 focused on steering greenhouse strawberry transpiration with a plant-LED-AI biofeedback technology.

Additionally, a commercialization project led by Ishtiaq Rao, of Crop Defenders, running from April 2025 to March 2026, involves the development of dual-purpose biodegradable sachets for predatory mites.

“We want to ensure Ontario’s farmers and agribusinesses have access to the latest technology and innovative solutions to grow and strengthen their businesses,” said Trevor Jones, Ontario minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, in the release.

“Through OAFRI, we are helping them prepare for the future, take advantage of new opportunities and stay competitive and resilient in the face of economic uncertainty.”

Read more here about which projects will benefit from this funding.