The Ontario and Canadian governments are allocating funds to enhance the fruit production sector in the province, focusing on apple, tender fruit, and table grape producers. A total of 128 producers are set to benefit from the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, backed by a $4.4 million investment from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
In the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound region, the initiative is extending financial support to several orchards, including Apple Springs Orchards, Filsinger's Organic Ltd, GH Lambe & Son Limited, and Vail's Orchards Inc., with funding up to $50,000 each. This investment aims to support the replanting of over 94 acres of apples and 60 acres of tender fruit and table grapes with new varieties that align with consumer preferences and offer improved resilience and resistance to pests and diseases. Among the varieties being introduced are Coral Star and Summer Serenade peaches, as well as Gala and Honeycrisp apples.
Local representatives, including MPP Rick Byers and Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Rob Flack, have highlighted the initiative's role in fostering innovation, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability within the province's fruit sector. The initiative also contributes to the broader goals of the Sustainable CAP, which seeks to bolster the competitiveness, innovation, and resilience of Canada's agricultural sector through a five-year, $3.5-billion investment.
Eligible fruit producers can still apply for cost-share funding under the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, which offers 75 per cent funding for the purchase of vines or trees of popular fruit varieties. The initiative represents a strategic effort to support Ontario's fruit growers, enhance agritourism, and contribute to the growth of the agri-food sector.
Source: Rick Beyers MPP