Business&Invesment Development Unit

Elaine Flook, Business Development ConsultantBusiness Development Branch

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Who we are

• Field staff across the province with expertise in food, biotechnology , manufacturing

• Provide Knowledge, Connections and Resources for Business

• Provincial Network linking government at all levels private industry primary producer/supplier service providers retailers researchers

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Where Are We?

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Organizational Chart

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How we can help

• Assisting you to maintain and grow your business in Ontario

• Provide updated information/assistance accessing current gov’t programs

• Providing potential co-packers, ingredient sources, packaging suppliers

• Assist with site selection and expansion plans

• Inform you about relevant food industry seminars, workshops, legislation, or consultations in your area

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Our Support Team

• Provide Market Industry Research and Analysis

• Business Climate and Sector Analysis

• Investment Marketing Proposals

• Liase with Policy/Decision Makers

• Export Marketing Expertise: Sectoral and Geographical

• Food Safety: HACCP Advantage

• Foodland Ontario

• Local Food Branding, Marketing, Retail and Food Service

Programs Supported by BusinessDevelopment Staff

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Workforce Development

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit: a tax credit to companies that hire and train apprentices in certain skilled trades.

Canada Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit: a non-refundable tax credit designed to encourage employers to hire new apprentices in eligible trades.

Job Connect: a program which helps bridge the gap between employers seeking new employees to meet their business needs and individuals seeking sustainable employment.

Ontario Co-op Education Tax Credit: a refundable tax credit available to employers who hire students enrolled in a recognized Ontario university or college co-operative education program.

Recruiting Employees: resources and links to services to assist in recruiting, hiring and training employees.

Sector Initiative Fund: a funding program designed to help industry sectors and organizations to develop training programs, materials and standards for their workforces.

Targeted Wage Subsidy: a program that encourages employers to hire people who face barriers to employment by offering a temporary wage subsidy.

Youth Employment Strategy (part of Industrial Research Assistance Program: food manufacturing companies that are looking to develop new products or improve their technical production processes may qualify for funding to hire an intern through the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). This program provides financial assistance to innovative Canadian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME's) to hire post-secondary graduates to work on innovation projects

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Business Development

Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy: (PDF 141 KB): Interest-free loans to encourage Ontario manufacturing companies in all sectors to invest in leading-edge technologies and processes.

Agri-Opportunities Program: a program to assist in the commercialization of products which

includes new agricultural products, processes or services.

Advancing Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (AIME) Fund: (PDF 136 KB): A training fund designed to help Ontario's manufacturing sector be more competitive in the global marketplace.

CanAdvance: provides grants, loans and loan guarantees to projects that expand the agriculture and food sector's capacity to respond to current and emerging issues.

Canadian Manufactureres & Exporters (CME) SMART Program: (PDF 157 KB): The SMART Program is a $25 million program created to help small and medium-sized manufacturers in Ontario improve their productivity.

Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF): (PDF 118 KB): The EODF is an $80 million fund designed to help businesses create new jobs, and invest in new technologies, equipment or skills training for workers. It also supports economic development projects that will attract or retain investment in Ontario-based industries and communities.

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Business Development Cont’d

Export Market Access: A Global Expansion Program: (PDF 163 KB): The Export Market Access is a $5 million initiative designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises increase their access to global markets.

High Performance New Construction (HPNC) Program: (PDF 125 KB): The HPNC Program was developed to encourage the design and building of facilities that reduce the use of kilowatt hours of energy.

Ontario Market Investment Fund (OMIF): (PDF 124KB): The Ontario Market Investment Fund is a $12 million, four-year fund targeted to promote consumer awareness of Ontario-produced foods and encourage Ontarians to buy locally.

The Next Generation of Jobs Fund (NGJF): (PDF 125KB): The Next Generation of Jobs Fund is a five-year, $1.15 billion strategy that can help innovative companies take the lead in worldwide markets which offer long-term growth potential.

Rural Economic Development Program: (PDF 136 KB): A financial support program to help rural communities thrive and grow. It supports projects that remove barriers to community development and economic growth.

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Infrastructure Development

Hydro One Retrofit Program: The Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program assists companies to develop energy conservation and load management strategies.

Biogas Systems Financial Assistance Program: a $9 million program to help agri-food businesses and farmers turn farm and food waste into clean energy by using biogas systems.

ecoEnergy Biofuels: ecoEnergy for Biofuels will invest up to $1.5 billion over nine years to boost Canada's production of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Environmental Programs: how to make wise and better use of water and sewer services.

The ecoEnergy Retrofit Incentive: (PDF 226 KB): a program to help retrofit industrial and commercial buildings to improve energy efficiency.

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Research and Development Programs

Industrial Research Assistance Program: financial support and "consulting" services to Canadian companies in all industry sectors to encourage innovative products, processes and technology.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program: a federal tax incentive program to encourage Canadian businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to conduct research and development in Canada that will lead to new, improved, or technologically advanced products or processes.

For more funding programs, check out Ontario Investment and Trade Services web site.

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Rural Economic Development

• Financial support program supports projects including food processing projects that remove barriers to community development and economic growth

• Under RED, "rural communities" include all of Ontario with the exception of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and eight large urban areas

• company does not have to be located in "rural" Ontario as long as your project has strong benefits to rural Ontario -- for example, by raising employee skill levels, creating jobs, investment, or innovation in a rural area.

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RED Program Objectives:

• Diversified business climate in rural Ontario

• Strategic and coordinated approach for rural development projects.

• Creation of alliances or partnerships and increased quality of participation of rural stakeholders. Eligible clients include partnerships between individuals, businesses, community organizations and municipalities

• Development of information, tools and resources to enhance rural economic development

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Program Supports:

• Skills development and enhanced opportunities

Sector internship initiatives » Access to skills enhancement opportunities in

remote areas » Rural economic development training initiatives

(municipal and community capacity for economic development)

» Rural skills through innovation • Revitalized communities • Improved access to health care services • New community development tools• Sustainable rural economies• Improved business opportunities

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What is the benefit to my company?

• Normally, you could receive up to a 50% grant to reimburse costs that are actual cash outlays to third parties,which you wouldn't otherwise incur, such as: Marketing and promotional costs Professional fees (legal, architectural, accounting) Studies Consultants/ sub-contractor fees Equipment (R&D) Internship funding for youth and displaced workers Travel costs Skills upgrading - needs assessment training labour force

identification and screening Minor capital including engineering, architectural and renovations Skills development

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Skills Development Projects

• are classified in two ways

Direct, specialized training that is delivered by a third party

(e.g. colleges can provide training if they are not a partner to the application). Eligible training costs can include translation and curriculum development.

In-house training that supports an internship. Employers can receive up to $1,500 for each intern to help offset their salary and in-house training costs.

• Skills Development projects can include upgrading the skills of your existing staff.

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Who Qualifies?

• The Key word is--Partnerships Partnerships/strategic alliances between any combination of

individuals, businesses, community organizations (including not-for-profit) and municipalities, with an arm's length relationship from each other.

All applicants must share in the risks of the project, invest in the project, and have a vested interest in completing the project. While not all partners must invest financially - they can contribute through "in kind" contributions -- the strength of the partnership and project is measured by the investment made by partners.

Individuals or individual businesses are not eligible to apply as sole applicants.

• The strength of your proposal is critical. A project could technically meet the criteria, but not be a "strong" proposal. For example, the partnership may be rated as "weak" when one partner is taking on all or most of the risk.

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ONTARIO BOOSTS NIAGARA NATURAL FRUIT SNACKS

McGuinty Government Supports Local Economic Development ProjectNEWSFebruary 19, 2009Ontario is helping Niagara Region establish an innovative food

processing facility that will use locally grown fruit to make all natural fruit snacks.The province is providing Niagara Natural Fruit Snacks Inc. with $884,570 to use a

breakthrough technology that will produce healthy and nutritious all-natural products that are comparable in taste with artificially flavoured, sugar-based snacks. The project will help create nine full-time positions and potential sales of $2 million in the first year of operation and will create a market for process grade locally grown fruit.

The funding is part of the Rural Economic Development Program, which invests in community-based projects in three priority areas:

Improved access to health care services Revitalized communities and downtowns Enhanced skills training. QUOTES"By supporting a new business and employer in the previously vacant CanGro plant, we are

ensuring the region's agricultural industry continues to be sustainable, profitable and continues to grow into the future," said Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor. "This venture will help develop a stable secondary market for locally grown fruit."

"I am pleased to see the former Cangro plant is once again producing locally grown and processed fruit," said St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley. "This innovative technology used by Niagara Natural Fruit Snacks will create a new value-added product from our local fruit, while providing new opportunities for our local growers."

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How Do I Apply?

• It's a good idea to "sound out" your project with a RED program adviser to gauge whether it's a strong fit. Application forms are available on the website or by calling the RED Program at the locations listed below. You first fill out a simple pre-application form so that you can receive feedback on the strength of your application before going to the more detailed second step of preparing a full application.

Rural Economic Development Program Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs1 Stone Road West Guelph ON N1G 4Y2 Tel: 1-888-588-4111 Email: red.omafra@ontario.ca

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Food Safety Programs Branch

• leads and coordinates the traceability and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) strategies and programs from farm to fork. The branch delivers financial assistance programs for industry (i.e. Meat Plant Assistance Program); ensures province-wide investigation, compliance, and enforcement strategies and activities; and develops communications promoting food safety (e.g. Meat Plant Assistance Program & Food Safety Initiative Program).

• http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/infores/foodsafe/safety.html

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HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is an internationally recognized

food safety system that is used to help ensure the manufacture of safe food products.

Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™• The Advantage Series of Food Safety Programs™ have been developed by

OMAFRA. The program has been designed to be practical and feasible for all facilities, regardless of size or commodity processed.  Numerous Ontario food processors have taken the initiative and have become Advantage certified

Supporting Materials• OMAFRA has developed several materials to support the Advantage Series of Food

Safety Programs™ including a comprehensive program manual and guidebook.

• Food Safety Consultant Directory• Frequently Asked Questions• Upcoming Events• Food Safety Links

Contact us if you have any specific questions or need help with your program. We can be reached toll free at 1-866-641-3663 or via email at advantage@ontario.ca

 

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Advantage Certified FacilitiesHACCP Home • Advantage Programs implemented by food processors identified here are

certified by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB). A division of Public Works and Government Services Canada, CGSB is an independent, internationally recognized, third party auditing body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.

 Advantage GMP Certified Facilities• Good Manufacturing Practices are the foundation of any food safety program

and are designed to prevent, reduce or eliminate potential food safety hazards associated with personnel and the processing environment.

Advantage HACCP Certified Facilities• This program includes all the Advantage GMP components, as well as a

HACCP plan (or plans) that prevent, reduce or eliminate identified hazards associated with specific food and ingredients and specific food manufacturing processes.

Advantage HACCP Plus Certified Facilities• This program includes all Advantage GMP and Advantage HACCP components

plus additional programs to address traceability of ingredients and finished products, and security of the food processing environment

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Traceability

Traceability is defined as "the ability to trace and follow food, feed, food-producing animals or substances through all stages of production and distribution". The Food Safety Initiative is a federal/provincial program, with the objective of promoting and enhancing food safety in the agri-food sector.  

Resources

Traceability Info Sheet (PDF format) or (HTML format)   Selecting a Traceability Consultant Info Sheet (PDF format) or

(HTML format)   Traceability Protocol Development Template (PDF format) or

(HTML format)  

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Give Us a Call

Thank youElaine Flook,

Business Development Consultant

Elaine.flook@ontario.ca

705-324-1481http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/industry/overview.htm