Feds invest $2.5M to support Ontario dairy processors

PHOTO: sacratomato_hr, via Flickr

OTTAWA — On Oct. 7, the Government of Canada announced funding totalling more than $2.5 million under the Dairy Processing Investment Fund to support Empire Cheese Co-operative, Kawartha Dairy and Mariposa Dairy.

“Ontario Ag Week is the perfect time to celebrate and support our dairy processors who are essential to ensuring quality, safe foods remain in stable supply as the country responds to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, in a prepared statement. “The improvements made to these facilities will better position our processors for new market realities and ensure essential workers are protected against COVID-19.”

Parliamentary Secretary Neil Ellis also announced that Kawartha Dairy and Mariposa Dairy will receive a total of more than $85,000 under the Emergency Processing Fund to enhance worker safety in their facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“”These investments will help to modernize Ontario’s dairy processing operations, which will increase productivity and enhance competitiveness,” Ellis said. “By providing for the urgent health and safety needs of workers in these facilities, we are helping these essential operations maintain food production and meet new public health protocol requirements.”

Through the Dairy Processing Investment Fund, the Government of Canada has approved over $28 million in funding for 29 projects across Ontario that will benefit cheese, yogurt, cream and butter processors.