|
The York Region Agriculture and Agri-Food Update newsletter shares highlights from York Region's business community including news, upcoming events, new funding programs and more.
|
|
|
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS
FUNDING PROGRAMS AND COVID-19 SUPPORTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
|
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS
|
|
|
Celebrating Local Food Week and the York Farm Fresh Guide Map!
Summer just got a whole lot fresher (and tastier) – the York Farm Fresh 2022 Guide Map is hot off the press just in time for Local Food Week!
During Local Food Week we celebrate and recognize the hardworking farmers who keep food our plates and support healthy communities. Not only is local food fresher and better for the environment, but when you eat local, you support the many farms that call York Region home.
The York Farm Fresh Guide Map serves as a guide to finding locally grown and produced farm fresh products across York Region. It lists 38 farms, farmers’ markets and driving routes to help you easily source a variety of local food.
READ MORE
|
|
2021 Agri-Food Forum Wins an Award of Excellence
Last November, York Region hosted the 2021 Agri-Food Forum in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The event brought together stakeholders from across Ontario to learn, network and celebrate York Region's thriving agri-food sector over two days.
We are honoured to announce that the event has received an Award of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators, as part of the 2022 OVATION Awards. This recognition speaks to the tremendous effort of the project team, attendees and all those involved in helping make this a successful event.
|
|
Small Business Spotlight: The Little Red Bake Shop
Based in Newmarket, The Little Red Bake Shop specializes in custom gourmet baked goods and offers customers a cookie subscription box. Michelle started her business right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the right support from our very own York Small Business Enterprise Centre, Michelle was able to successfully launch her business and continue to experience growth.
"I would recommend the York Small Business Enterprise Centre to anybody who is thinking of starting a business or wanting their business to grow," said Michelle. "They have helped me right from the very beginning to not only plan my business, but to also grow my business and help my business succeed right from day one."
WATCH VIDEO
|
|
Meet the 2022 Food & Beverage Accelerator Cohort
This year's Food and Beverage Accelerator is run in collaboration with the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance to support 10 ventures led by underrepresented founders. The program is the first of its kind in the GTA, our Food and Beverage Accelerator will help promising food and beverage consumer-packaged goods (CPG) ventures build their strategy, grow their network, and scale their business. Click the link below to get to know the 2022 Food and Beverage Accelerator Class!
READ MORE
|
|
Stay Updated on Avian Influenza for Small Flock Owners and Bird Fanciers
Avian influenza (AI) is a highly contagious viral disease that can infect domestic and wild birds, including chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quails, ducks, geese, pigeons and guinea fowl. There are several active “infected premises” (IPs) in the York Region area and it is your responsibility as a flock owner to stay informed about the active Control Zones as set out by the CFIA.
Click the link below for best practices in biosecurity in small flocks.
READ MORE
|
|
Calling All Women Entrepreneurs – ELLA Altitude is Open for Applications!
Recruitment is now open for the 4-month ELLA Altitude program for women entrepreneurs with annual revenues of $200,000 or more. This program features individualized mentorship and support, including a unique Fractional Executive element where ELLA women have the opportunity to work with a seasoned professional to develop a functional strategy (such as a marketing strategy) and have the cost subsidized by ELLA.
READ MORE
|
|
Local Restaurant Spotlight: Markham Inspire Restaurant
Vanessa Ho, 33, considers her husband a bit of a unicorn. That’s because Carleton Chung is one of the few people who knew what he wanted to do in life, “right from the get go,” says Ho. She and Chung, own and operate Inspire Restaurant in Markham.
The other unicorn-ish thing about Chung is his restaurant defies definition, defies expectation and is driven by a philosophy known as “ikebana.” From the moment you walk into their Main Street restaurant, Chung hopes you will be encompassed in ikebana style. Everything is intentional, everything is art.
And the cuisine? Is it Asian fusion, western-meets eastern, a mishmash of Indian, steak house, fine dining and North American comfort food?
READ MORE
|
|
Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program Helping Farms Reduce Emissions
Across the country, farmers have long been responsible stewards of their land and their actions are key to reaching Canada’s climate targets. On May 24, 2022, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of over $15.2 million under the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program to support the adoption of clean technologies for 47 projects throughout Canada.
READ MORE
|
|
Experience York Region Launches New Series on Local Farms
Despite the fact that more than 1.2 million people call York Region home, the area remains an important agricultural centre. While many farms across the region participate in weekly farmers’ markets, some are opening up their properties to showcase ‘grown local’ and ‘shop local’ initiatives and solutions. Over the next few weeks, ExperienceYorkRegion.com is going to introduce you to some of the businesses who are taking agri-tourism to the next level.
READ MORE
|
|
Ontario Agriculture Worker Safety and Awareness Certificate
Are you considering a career in agriculture but don’t know where to start? Landed a job on a farm in Ontario and looking for an overview of how an operation works and ways to keep yourself safe? Want to showcase some new agricultural knowledge and transferable skills on your resume to position yourself above the competition?
Whether you are new to agriculture or looking for a refresher course, the Ontario Agriculture Worker Safety and Awareness Certificate will help to set you up for success.
|
|
FUNDING PROGRAMS AND COVID-19 NEWS
|
|
|
SmartGrowth Program Open for Applications
Bioenterprise Canada is accepting applications for the SmartGrowth Program to support food and agri-tech companies through access to funding and mentorship. The SmartGrowth Program offers eligible enterprises, headquartered in southern Ontario with:
- Up to $100,000 in project-based, matching funding to support impactful scale-up and expansion projects
- Coaching and mentorship support services
The deadline to submit an application is Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
|
|
York Region's Circular Economy Initiatives Fund Open for Applications
York Region’s Circular Economy Initiatives Fund offers funding to non-profit, community-driven, innovative projects that will help reduce residential waste and advance a circular economy. Consideration will be given to new projects that meet one or both of the following objectives:
- Reduce Waste/Environmental Footprint: Deliver projects that result in a reduction of residential waste generated (based on weight) or an increase in reuse of residential waste, diverting it from landfill
- Enhance Education and Awareness: Develop and deliver education and awareness projects that lead to behaviour change and/or increased knowledge of the value of waste
READ MORE
|
|
COVID-19 Farmer Toolkit Available Online
The Ontario Government has prepared an online toolkit aims to be a “one-stop shop” for farm operators on guidance, resources and information related to prevention, control, testing and outbreak management support. By working together, we can reduce the spread of COVID-19 and make Ontario workplaces safer for all agri-food workers, including international agricultural workers.
|
|
COVID-19 Business Resources and Funding Programs Overview
To help you make sense of all the available funding programs and resources, we continue to update our COVID-19 Business Resource page that contains information on supports announced by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, as well as, events, and other pertinent information to impacted businesses.
|
|
Local Food Week
June 6 to June 12, 2022
Every year during the first week of June, Ontario sets aside one full week, designated as Local Food Week, to celebrate and recognize the abundance of fresh, affordable local food we are privileged to have access to across the province.
LEARN MORE
|
|
York Link | York Region Economic Development
The York Link team is here to help and are committed to supporting local businesses. We are still providing business advisory and consultation services, information on business resources, support for startups, and more in a virtual capacity at this time.
Get in touch with us:
Website: yorklink.ca/agrifood
Email: agri-food@york.ca
|
|
|
|
|
