Agriculture plays an important role in the lives of all Canadians, creating good, middle-class jobs, and feeding Canadians and other countries around the world. Northwest Territories (NWT) agriculture development took a leap forward today with the official launch of the new federal-territorial agreement under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
The Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, Michael McLeod, joined NWT Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Wally Schumann, to formalize the federal/territorial agreement at Polar Egg in Hay River — the NWT’s most successful commercial agriculture business.
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion cost-shared investment by federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments in national, regional and local agriculture initiatives.
Approximately $5.6 million will be directly invested in the NWT agriculture sector under the Partnership. It will fund initiatives and investments aimed at encouraging the development of a relevant, commercially-viable food production and processing sector; and advancing greater self-sufficiency and food production in the NWT’s remote communities.
Aligned with the NWT Agriculture Strategy introduced last year, the Partnership will support emerging food growers and processors encouraging greater participation and entrepreneurial interest in the NWT’s agriculture sector.
Specific programming will invest in research, innovation, sustainability, capacity building, trade, processing, public awareness, and youth involvement to ensure the sector continues to evolve.
Source : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada