Seven businesses receive funding under Innovative Solutions Canada Program

Mar 04, 2022

On Friday, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced over $1 million in funding for seven businesses under the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program.

A total of seven small businesses are each receiving up to $150,000 to advance automation and robotic technologies for solving challenges such as work productivity and labour shortages and operational efficiency in the agricultural sector.

The Canadian meat processing industry relies heavily on manual labour and must continue to evolve to ensure safe and efficient work environments, as well as to increase operational efficiencies and maintain food safety standards. Projects receiving funding through the Canadian Meat Processing Technology Development Challenge will aim to make advances in automation through robotics, artificial intelligence and other forms of innovation to reduce reliance on manual labour in the Canadian meat processing sector. By reducing reliance on resources, Canadian meat processors will have more opportunities to focus on other areas.

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is an indoor technology-based production system where crops are grown under a modified and highly conditioned environment. CEA production is labour intensive, including tasks such as planting, management of plants, cleaning, harvesting, pest management, pruning, sorting and packaging. Projects receiving funding through the Enhancing Automation in CEA Farming Challenge will work to develop automation and robotic technologies to reduce time spent on labour intensive tasks and reduce costs for CEA facilities.

ISC, administered by Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), is a $100-million program to help Canada's entrepreneurs and small businesses develop innovative and sustainable solutions to complex challenges. AAFC and other participating departments will partner with the Secretariat to develop challenges and evaluate incoming applications.

If successful at the proof of concept stage, projects are each eligible for up to $1 million under Phase 2 of the ISC Challenge for prototype development.

Under the Canadian Meat Processing Technology Development Challenge, projects include:

- mode40 ltd. will identify the practical application of devices that connect over the internet and artificial intelligence methodologies to improve carcass cooling and its related challenges.

- Exonetik Inc. will develop a robotic arm system that utilizes artificial intelligence learning to automate challenging tasks.

- POSS Design Limited will develop a multifunctional system capable of turkey drumstick removal and separation, and maximized meat protein recovery.

Under the Enhancing Automation in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Farming Challenge, projects include:

- Kinova Inc. will develop a low-cost and accessible multi-produce picking solution using Kinova’s existing lightweight robotic manipulator technology.

- Circulus Agtech Solutions Inc. will develop a plant health control system using computer vision and an automated organic liquid nutrient analyzer to reduce visual inspection requirements.

- Mycionics Inc. will develop a robotic packing system to completely automate the processes of harvesting fresh-market quality mushrooms.

- Smart Pix Robotics Inc. will develop a 3D modelling system to enable the digitization of greenhouses at a micro-precision level to enhance labour efficiency and productivity.

Click here to see more...

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.