Agriculture Grants Ontario: 107 Grants, Loans & More for Agricultural Business
If you’re looking for agriculture grants in Ontario, you’re in the right place!
Because we have the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide on grants, loans, and other types of funding for agricultural businesses in Ontario, including farms and other types of operations.
In this guide you’ll learn what’s available, eligibility requirements, how much you can get, and much more!
Let’s dive in…
What Can Agriculture & Agrifood Business Grants Be Used For?
Agriculture & Agrifood business grants can be used to pay for many aspects of starting or running a business. Here are some of the uses that are covered by programs in our grants database:
See the section below with a complete list of Agriculture & Agrifood business grants available.
How Much Grant Money Can I Get for My Agriculture & Agrifood Business?
In our database we currently have grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000,000.
Am I Eligible for an Agriculture & Agrifood Business Grant? Common Eligibility Criteria
Two of the most common questions we get asked at Ontario Business Grants are “Am I eligible?” and “How do I qualify?”.
We analyzed the Agriculture & Agrifood business grants in our grants database, and these are the most common qualifications we identified:
Note: these are just the most common eligibility criteria – there are many grants with different requirements.
Agriculture & Agrifood Business Grants for Ontario: Current Grants Available
In the table below we list the grants currently available to Ontario Agriculture & Agrifood businesses.
To learn more about each program, just click the program name and you’ll be taken to a web page that provides detailed information on the program, including eligibility, the dollar amount of the program, and how to apply for the grant:
Grants for Ontario Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Other Types of Funding for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Our goal is for this guide to be a complete source of funding information for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses. So, in this section you’ll find all the other money programs (besides grants) that are available to Agriculture & Agrifood entrepreneurs:
Loans for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
A loan might not sound as good as a grant, but many loans for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses have a low interest rate. While they might not be free money, if you don’t qualify for a grant, a low-interest loan is probably the next best thing.
The programs below include government loans and loan guarantees (which are loans that are provided by commercial banks but guaranteed by the government):
Loans for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
If you’re not eligible for a government loan, you might consider one of the commercial loans available for Agriculture & Agrifood entrepreneurs. Below is a sample of current loan programs offered by the “Big 5” Canadian banks that are available specifically for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
In addition to loans, there are lines of credit offered by some commercial banks specifically for Agriculture & Agrifood entrepreneurs.
Here are some lines of credit currently available for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
While not exactly a type of funding for Agriculture & Agrifood entrepreneurs, some commercial banks in Canada offer bank accounts specifically for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses. These accounts offer special perks and are worth checking out:
If you’re interested in a savings account for your agricultural business, have a look at the AgriInvest Accounts provided by:
A tax credit reduces the tax that a business pays on its taxable income.
There are a handful of tax credits available for agricultural businesses:
Tax Credits for Ontario Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Livestock Tax Deferral Provision | no fixed amount | Tax Credit |
| Government of Ontario, Ministry of Finance -Small Beer Manufacturers’ Tax Credit (2022) | No Fixed Amount | Tax Credit |
| Government of Ontario, Ministry of Finance – Community Food Program Donation Tax Credit for Farmers (2022) | No Fixed Amount | Tax Credits |
A rebate is a partial refund made to a business by a government, utility company, etc. Common rebates include tax rebates, energy rebates, etc.
In the table below you’ll find rebates currently available for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
Rebates for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Farm Credit Canada – Sustainability Incentive Program | $2000 | Rebate |
| Ontario Ministry of Energy – Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) | N/A | Rebate |
| Beef Farmers of Ontario - Verified Beef Production Plus: Quality Assurance Rebate Incentive Program | no fixed amount | Rebate |
A subsidy is a type of financial assistance usually provided by the government in order to promote a social good or an economic policy. Wage subsidies are the most common subsidies.
In the table below you’ll find the subsidies currently available for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
Subsidies for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Foundation - Science Horizons | $25000 | Subsidy |
| Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) – Green Jobs Program | $32000 | Wage Subsidy |
| Natural Products Canada (NPC) – Access to Talent Program | $75000 | Wage Subsidy |
| Government of Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada – Nutrition North Canada (NNC) Program | No Fixed Amount | Subsidy |
An investment is a form of financing where capital is provided in exchange of ownership in the company. It is an alternative to conventional methods of raising capital (loans, issuing stocks, selling bonds) and the good thing about it is that you do not have to make monthly payments. Common investment includes private equity and venture capital.
Here is the government’s investment program currently available for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
Investment for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| SVG Ventures - THRIVE Canada Accelerator Program | no fixed amount | Accelerator, Investment |
| Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners - UTEST | no fixed amount | In-Kind Support, Investment |
| InvestEco - InvestEco Sustainable Food Fund III | no fixed amount | Investment |
| Ag Capital Canada - Private Equity | no fixed amount | Investment |
| Forage Capital Partners - Forage Capital Ag & Food Business Solutions Fund | no fixed amount | Investment |
| Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Growth Venture Co-investment Fund | no fixed amount | Investment |
| Georgian Angel Network - GAN Xcelerate Fund | $30000 | Investment |
| Creative Destruction Lab (2022) | No Fixed Amount | Investment |
| SVG Ventures|THRIVE – THRIVE Global Accelerator Program | $50000.00 | Investment |
| FinDev Canada Financing and Investment | No Fixed Amount | Grant / Loan / Loan guarantees / Equity investments |
| BDC – Industrial Innovation Venture Fund (2022) | No Fixed Amount | Investment |
In-kind support refers to non-cash resources provided to support businesses. In kind-support can take various forms: access to coaching, mentorship, investors, logistical and technical resources (space, equipment, computers, internet and software, free testbed), training programs, business advice and counseling. Entrepreneurship centres, accelerators and incubators provide valuable in-kind support to new and existing entrepreneurs.
In-Kind Support Programs for Agriculture & Agrifood
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario - Beginning Farmer Program | $50000 | Grant, In-Kind Support |
| GreenHouse Social Impact Incubator (University of Waterloo) – Social Impact Fund | N/A | In-Kind Support |
| Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners - UTEST | no fixed amount | In-Kind Support, Investment |
| ventureLAB - HardTech Pitch Competition | $50000 | Competition, In-Kind Support |
| CENGN Projects | no fixed amount | In-Kind Support |
| Bioenterprise Corporation Canada – SmartGrowth Program (2022) | $ 100000.00 | Grant |
Accelerators for Agriculture & Agrifood
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Foresight Canada - Sectoral Cluster Initiatives: agriNEXT | N/A | Accelerator |
| SVG Ventures - THRIVE Academy | no fixed amount | Accelerator |
| SVG Ventures - THRIVE Canada Accelerator Program | no fixed amount | Accelerator, Investment |
| Innovation Guelph - Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad Activate Circular Accelerator | $30000 | Accelerator, Grant, Loan |
| Innovation Cluster – Women Breaking Barriers | Not Applicable | Accelerator |
| SVG Ventures|THRIVE – THRIVE Global Accelerator Program | $50000.00 | Investment |
Entrepreneurship Program for Agriculture & Agrifood
| Name of Program | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation Guelph - Rhyze Ventures: Scalable Business Stream | N/A | Entrepreneurship Program |
| Brampton Venture Zone (Toronto Metropolitan University) – BVZ Inspire Program & BVZ Inspire Grant | $500 | Program & Grant |
Best Agriculture & Agrifood Business Grants, Loans & More
While there are lots of good programs available, below we highlight some of the best grants, loans, tax credits & more for Agriculture & Agrifood businesses:
Best Government Grants for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
While waiting for the details of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) which is going to replace the Canadian Agricultural Partnership ending this March, there are plenty of other programs worth checking out for your Agriculture & Agrifood business.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program: Research and Innovation Stream
The Research and Innovation Stream will support pre-market innovation, including research, development, demonstration and commercialization activities, to develop transformative clean technologies and enable the expansion of current technologies, in 3 priority areas:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – Supply Management Processing Investment Fund
The Supply Management Processing Investment Fund (SMPIF) helps processors of supply-managed commodities adapt to market changes resulting from the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The program provides non-repayable contributions to support investments in dairy, poultry, and egg processing facilities that improve productivity and/or efficiency through the purchase of new automated equipment and technology.
Canadian Dairy Commission – Matching Investment Fund (MIF)
The Matching Investment Fund (MIF) provides eligible companies and Food Technology Centers (FTC) non-repayable contributions for product development projects on a matching investment basis.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) – Climate Action Incentive Fund: Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Project stream
The Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF) SME Project stream provides support to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for retrofit projects in sectors such as Building, Transportation, Industry, Waste, Agriculture, and more.
The CAIF program is available to applicants operating in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) – Ontario Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program
Ontario’s Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program provides financial protection to beef cattle sellers when a licensed dealer defaults on payment.
Best Government Loans for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – Credit Lines: FCC Advancer Loan
The FCC Advancer Loan is a pre-approved, secured loan that continually re-advances funds as their clients (Canadian agriculture businesses) grow their operations.
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – Equipment
Use the FCC Equipment loan specifically to buy the equipment you need for your farm, whatever that may be. FCC offers lower down payments and more flexible terms than other lenders, and you can pay off your loan early with no penalty.
And if you call 1-800-510-6669 before you go equipment shopping, you can get pre-approved so when you find what you need, you can buy it right away instead of waiting on financing.
If you’re not interested in buying but would rather lease, they’ve got you covered there too. Enjoy a lower price upfront and the option to buy your equipment outright at the end of your lease, all for better terms than with a regular bank.
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – FCC Input Financing
FCC Input Financing provides loans to purchase fuel, fertilizer, and crop protection. Input financing is offered through local retailers allowing farmers to purchase and finance their inputs at the same time. Funding is a loan of up to 100% of applicants’ input purchase through the local retailers.
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – Livestock
Livestock is costly but integral to your business, and now it’s a little more affordable with a couple different financing options offered under FCC’s Livestock program.
First, take advantage of a credit line specifically designed to help you purchase livestock. You’ll work with an FCC relationship manager and figure out the best rates and terms for you when you get your pre-approved credit line with them.
Or, you could opt to work with a Livestock Alliance Partner and get rates just as competitive as with FCC. This way, you can purchase and finance your livestock in the same place and with a company and its products that were created just for farmers.
To try the FCC Livestock credit line, call 1-888-332-3301, visit your local field office, or send an email. And to work with a Livestock Alliance Partner, check out this list of partners.
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – Young Entrepreneur Loan
FCC provides financing to young entrepreneurs under 40 to start or expand their business. They can purchase shares in, buy, or improve an agricultural or food-related business, and take their dream business to the next level.
Best Government Loan Guarantees for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – Advance Payments Program
Sometimes you just need the money to prep for the next season and you just don’t have it yet. It doesn’t matter what got in the way—the weather, the market, even the government—because AAFC’s Advance Payments Program for farmers solves that problem for you.
Get up to $1 million to buy your product with these low-interest cash advances, as long as your product fits one of these categories:
This loan guarantee program also pays the interest on the first $100,000 advanced and the first $500,000 advanced to canola producers.
You just repay the advance as you sell your product, and you can take up to 18 months to pay it back, 24 months for cattle and bison.
Most farms of all sizes qualify, so apply by contacting an Advance Payments Program administrator. They’ll guide you through the application process, let you know which additional documents to send, and tell you of any administration fees.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – Canadian Agricultural Loans Act (CALA) Program
This program can help you access the loan you need to establish, improve, or develop your farm by offering your lender a guarantee that they will receive 95% of any loan you default on—if you qualify, which you do if you’re a Canadian farmer and your lender accepts your loan application.
You can use your loan guarantee to find funding for just about anything, but the maximum amount they will guarantee is $500,000. You don’t have to do anything to apply because your lender will register the loan on your behalf. You can even go back to your lender to see if they have registered your loan, and if they haven’t, they can do it retroactively within 60 days.
Best Government Investment for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) – Industrial Innovation Venture Fund
The Industrial Innovation Venture Fund brings direct investment and strategic support to visionary management teams with the desire, ambition and courage to become Canada’s next generation of global leaders.
The fund support innovation-oriented Canadian companies with next-generation solutions for strategic industries including:
Best Government Rebates for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) – Sustainability Incentive Program
FCC’s Sustainability Incentive Program is designed to provide an incentive program to eligible customers who are certified through Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). This is by working with the CSRB and its certification bodies (Verified Beef Production Plus, Ontario Corn Fed Beef Quality Assurance Program and Where Food Comes From Inc.).
Ontario Ministry of Energy – Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER)
The Ontario Electricity Rebate currently provides a 11.7% rebate to eligible residential customers, small businesses, farms and other customers.
Best Tax Credit for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Ontario Ministry of Finance – Community Food Program Donation Tax Credit for Farmers
The Community Food Program Donation Tax Credit for Farmers is a non-refundable income tax credit for farmers who donate agricultural products to eligible community food programs in Ontario, including food banks. The credit is worth 25% of the fair market value of the agricultural products donated and can be claimed for donations made on or after January 1, 2014.
Best Non-profit Grants for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Bioenterprise Corporation Canada – SmartGrowth Program
The SmartGrowth Program provides SMEs in southern Ontario’s food and agri-technology sectors access to acceleration financing to support scale-up and expansion projects.
Bioenterprise’s SmartGrowth program is a matching fund that provides eligible enterprises with:
Genome Canada – Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP)
The Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) funds downstream research and development (R&D) projects that address real world opportunities and challenges identified by industry, government, not-for-profits and other “Receptors” of genomics knowledge and technologies. GAPP projects are collaborations between academic researchers and Receptor organizations, and are co-funded by Genome Canada, Receptors and other stakeholders.
Natural Products Canada (NPC) – Proof of Concept Program
The Proof of Concept Program supports projects that help to establish the commercial feasibility of innovative natural products or technologies (Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4-9) to advance development, commercialization, or de-risk subsequent investment.
The Program does not support basic research, but rather supports activities that demonstrate commercial potential via animal, field, demonstration, or human trials.
For companies, the Program is intended to demonstrate commercial feasibility of products and technologies.
For academic research institutes, the Program is intended to move a product or technology from intellectual property disclosure to near term spin-out and/or licensing opportunities.
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) – Capacity Building Program
The Capacity Building Program is focused on advancing Canada’s agrifood sector and creating a competitive and sustainable global business environment, while incenting new approaches to doing business and removing barriers to growth.
Capacity Building projects are focused on benefitting the whole industry, bringing lasting value to the sector. Projects under Capacity Building can be led by non-profits and academia, although industry-dollar contribution is also part of the selection criteria. The projects must benefit the whole industry and not duplicate existing efforts.
Best Non-profit Loans for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) – Commodity Loan Program (CLP)
The Commodity Loan Program was developed in 1992 to assist Ontario farmers in financing their crop planting, cultivating, and harvesting expenses.
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) – Ontario Beef Breeder Co-operative Program
Eight co-ops have been formed in various regions of the province to provide members with loans to purchase beef breeding females.
Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario (IAPO) – First Nations Farm and Business Financing
IAPO’s First Nations Farm and Business Financing offers financing products to serve the needs of First Nation agriculture. Loans are available for farms, agricultural related businesses as well as value added enterprises.
There are four types of loans:
Best Non-profit Loan Guarantee for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) – Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program
The Ontario Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program supports the operation of 15 feeder cattle co-operatives across the province. Each feeder cattle co-op is operated by a board of directors who negotiates a credit limit with a lender in order to assist members with the purchase of cattle for further feeding.
Beef farmers can apply for a purchase order for the amount of anticipated feeder cattle purchase, maximum of up to $1,000,000 for individuals and $1,500,000 for corporations.
Best Non-profit Subsidies for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Natural Products Canada (NPC) – Access to Talent Program
The Access to Talent Program helps Canadian SMEs or start-up companies hire an experienced individual to carry out a project to achieve key milestones that support the development of a natural product or technology (Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4-9).
Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) – Green Jobs Program
Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) offers a 50% or 80% wage match, with up to $32,000 CAD in reimbursements, to employers hiring youth aged 15-30 into Green Jobs. A Green Job is one that supports nature-based solutions for a more sustainable planet. Green jobs are typically involved in, but not limited to, jobs in the forest sector, parks, conservation, natural resource management, environmental education, sustainable food systems, climate change, carbon sequestration, species maintenance and recovery, water quality and quantity, and more.
Best Non-profit Investment for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Ag Capital Canada – Private Equity
Ag Capital Canada provides capital to help owner-operators take their companies to the next, higher level. Ag Capital Canada aims to discover, develop and nurture proven Canadian agricultural businesses which are already off to a strong start.
Forage Capital Partners – Forage Capital Ag & Food Business Solutions Fund
The Forage Capital Ag & Food Business Solutions Fund is a $150MM growth equity fund that invests along the entire agriculture and food industry value chain. The fund focuses on companies that have suffered a significant disruption to their business model.
The areas targeted by the fund are:
InvestEco – InvestEco Sustainable Food Fund III
InvestEco Sustainable Food Fund III is investing in expansion-stage companies in North America that promote health and sustainability in the food and agricultural sector.
Best In-kind Support Programs for Agriculture & Agrifood Businesses
Have a look at the in-kind support programs below! Some of them provide both in-kind support and funding for your Agriculture & Agrifood business.
Accelerators
Foresight Canada – Sectoral Cluster Initiatives: agriNEXT
AgriNEXT is a pan-Canadian, ag-specific accelerator and network hub established by Foresight Canada to drive development and scaling of Canadian cleantech ventures that address the environmental and competitiveness pain points of our agriculture industry. Agrinext accelerates ventures through technology and industry-specific training, mentorship and ecosystem engagement, and connections to funders, investors, and corporate partners.
SVG Ventures|THRIVE – THRIVE Global Accelerator Program
The THRIVE Global Accelerator is a 12 week award-winning program that supports seed to series A stage companies from all areas of the agrifood value chain whose technologies drive us towards a more efficient, sustainable, and secure agriculture future.
SVG Ventures|THRIVE – THRIVE Canada Accelerator Program
The THRIVE Canada Accelerator supports early-stage agrifood tech startups from across the value chain whose technologies drive us towards a more efficient, sustainable, and secure agriculture future. Supporting companies across the agrifood value chain, the THRIVE Canada Accelerator places a strong emphasis on companies creating a sustainable future through innovation.
Entrepreneurship Program
Innovation Guelph – Rhyze Ventures: Scalable Business Stream
Rhyze Ventures is a custom-designed program created by women entrepreneurs, for women entrepreneurs. They have crafted a balance of in-class learning, practical hands-on project work, mentorship, and peer-to-peer networking to address your biggest business challenges, push your boundaries, and see you through to implementation. There are 3 program streams: Small business, Scalable business, and Social enterprise.
Other In-kind Support Programs
Bioenterprise Corporation Canada – SmartGrowth Program
The SmartGrowth Program provides SMEs in southern Ontario’s food and agri-technology sectors access to acceleration financing to support scale-up and expansion projects.
Bioenterprise’s SmartGrowth program is a matching fund that provides eligible enterprises with:
Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario (IAPO) – Beginning Farmer Program (BFP)
The Beginning Farmer Program (BFP) is a multiyear program designed to support new beginning First Nations farmers between the ages of 16 and 40 through all stages of farm business start-up. BFP supports the creation, development, and investment in the new farm businesses.
The program has two distinct areas of focus:
