The agriculture and seafood industries in Prince Edward Island have long been boosted by a strong reputation, but in an increasingly competitive global economy, companies must continue to innovate to reach wider markets. The Government of Canada is working with food producers, processors, and agricultural businesses in rural areas of Atlantic Canada to help strengthen and diversify industries that have been built on the resources of the region.
Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced federal support for five companies supporting the food industry in Western PEI.
Through its Business Development Program (BDP), ACOA is providing repayable support for the following projects:
$329,372 for Royal Star Foods Ltd. to expand cold storage capacity for its seafood products, with full packing and sealing capability onsite to control and grow exports.
$117,968 for Myers Welding Inc. to expand its existing manufacturing facility and purchase equipment to meet increased demand for its fabricated metal aquaculture products.
$75,750 for W.P. Griffin Inc. to install packaging equipment for newly developed specialty potato products and $44,228 to launch and promote the new line of products to domestic and export markets.
$50,000 for North Atlantic Organics Ltd. to install new equipment to expand its animal supplement and fertilizer operation, improve product quality and create new value-added products.
$33,000 for Acadian Machine Works Ltd. to develop and market a quick-attaching, front-mounting blueberry harvesting system. The innovation is especially useful for wild blueberry producers not looking to purchase large-scale equipment.
As part of the Atlantic Growth Strategy, the federal ministers and Atlantic premiers announced the establishment of the Accelerated Growth Service in Atlantic Canada in January 2017. The goal of the Accelerated Growth Service is to accelerate business growth through a collaborative, client‑focused service model. The Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces are delivering this initiative in the region so that participating companies can access both federal and provincial support in one stop. Thirty-nine companies in Atlantic Canada, including Royal Star Foods Ltd., are taking part in the program.
Source : Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency