Ottawa, Ontario – The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an impressive turnout of 343 applications received from innovators in Canada and around the world as part of the Government of Canada’s Food Waste Reduction Challenge.
An initiative under the Food Policy for Canada, the $20-million Food Waste Reduction Challenge was launched in November 2020 to accelerate and advance diverse and high-impact solutions to food waste in Canada. Up to $10.8 million will be awarded under Streams A and B to innovators with business model solutions that can prevent or divert food waste at any point from farm-to-plate.
Of the 343 applications received, 27 percent were submitted by applicants who self-identified as youth (30 years old and under), 30 percent by applicants who self-identified as from a visible minority group and 32 percent by applicants who self-identified as women.
Streams A and B opened on November 19, 2020 and closed on January 18, 2021. Applications are being assessed and the first round of winners will be announced in the coming months. Streams C and D are scheduled to launch in spring 2021, and will focus on new technologies that extend the life of food or transform food waste into new foods or value-added products.
By encouraging more solutions to food waste in Canadian society, we can increase food availability, save consumers and businesses money and strengthen our food systems, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Source : Government of Canada