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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.
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BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS
FUNDING PROGRAMS AND COVID-19 SUPPORTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
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BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY NEWS
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2021 Agri-Food Forum Recap
Thank you to everyone that attended this year's Municipal Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Forum!
Over the two-day event more than 200 attendees joined in to listen and learn from an engaging lineup of over 60 speakers, such as world-renowned Futurist Nikolas Badminton, local agri-food businesses and industry leaders.
It also provided an opportunity to showcase York Region’s diverse agriculture and agri-food sector. With over 700 farm-based businesses and 270 food and beverage manufacturers and distributors, York Region is home to one of the largest food processing hubs in Canada. Check out the video above for your own personal tour of York Region.
WATCH VIDEO
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Ontario Supporting Businesses and Workers in the Agri-Food Sector
The Ontario government is investing $25 million over three years to strengthen the agri-food supply chain. This funding will incentivize industry investment in projects that help address the processing capacity shortage and increase the sector’s competitiveness and resilience against future disruptions.
READ MORE
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King Township's Rural Resiliency Plan
King Township's Community Improvement Plan (CIP) targets specific areas within the Township and assists eligible businesses to receive grant funding for various initiatives such as new signage and accessibility features. The new Rural Resiliency component of the CIP introduces a framework of incentives related to certain on-farm diversified and agriculture-related uses, which will contribute to the economic resilience of the Township’s agricultural areas.
READ MORE
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Markham Native Realizes Dream of Owning Restaurant, Smash
Born and raised in Unionville, Jason Goodis is owner of Markham's Smash Kitchen and Bar, Next Door Restaurant, and a charcuterie and bottle shop called CharBox. One way Goodis made it through COVID was through charity, by donating to local seniors’ homes and to Markham Stouffville Hospital’s front-line workers.
READ MORE
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Noah's Farm Fresh Eggs: A Hit in East Gwillimbury
The COVID-19 pandemic meant Noah Hamilton, 9-year old, had a lot more time at his home on McCowan Road in East Gwillimbury. Noah now is taking care of 100 chickens that lay roughly 700 eggs a week! He is chief executive officer of Noah’s Farm Fresh Eggs and business is booming.
READ MORE
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Paramount to Open Richmond Hill Butcher Shop
During the pandemic, Mohamad Fakih, founder and CEO of the Paramount Fine Foods chain of restaurants, realized that while his restaurants sales were down, sales in his butcher shops had risen. This new butcher shop will offer halal meats as well as a variety of Middle Eastern-inspired spices, sauces and breads, providing customers with everything they need to experience Paramount restaurant quality meals at home.
READ MORE
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General Assembly Pizza’s New Master Facility in Vaughan Producing up to 100,000 Frozen Pizzas Per Month
General Assembly Pizza secured the new production facility in July and started production on September 9. Located on Marycroft Avenue and emblazoned with GA Pizza’s signature pizza siren, the facility has increased the company’s monthly output of frozen units to 100,000, with greater output to come in the months ahead.
READ MORE
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King Bakery Sells Some 700 Freshly Made Cannolis a Day
Frank Agostino's Cappuccino Bakery in King Township has been serving the community with in-house-made cannolis, sandwiches made on freshly made bread and so much more since 1983. Today, he takes pride in selling 700 cannolis per day, his special recipe includes premium ricotta cheese. The restaurant has trained pastry chefs who come in and make all pastries fresh in house, every day.
READ MORE
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Survey: Community Catering in the Greater Toronto Area
A group of researchers from the University of Toronto Scarborough, Ryerson University and caterToronto are studying the small food business that sell culturally important dishes to people in the GTA. By filing out a 10-min survey, catering service providers can help provide information that will be used to advocate for better facilities, rules and regulations.
TAKE THE SURVEY
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FUNDING PROGRAMS AND COVID-19 NEWS
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Enhanced Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program
As the province continues its path forward through COVID-19, the Government of Ontario is expanding the Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program to help more agri-food businesses guard against the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace and support worker/employee health and safety. The program provides funding in the two following categories: Workplace COVID-19 Prevention, and Responsive COVID-19 Outbreak Management.
READ MORE
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WSPS Agri-Food Consulting Program
Through Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), farmers and agri-food businesses can access professional advice and consulting services to help them with their COVID-19 needs. Your workplace may be eligible for two days of services tailored to your needs (worth $2,000 – paid for by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership).
READ MORE
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Funding for Meat Processors
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) Ontario Meat Processors Stream has announced a new application intake for meat processors that opened on November 19, 2021. The CAP Ontario Meat Processors Stream supports provincially licensed or federally licensed meat processors to implement projects to improve the productivity of their operations through equipment upgrades.
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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.
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Serving Up Local Webinar
December 7, 2021 | 10 a.m.
Learn how to bring local food producers and processors together with your municipal institutions. The Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance will share their most recent results from their Serving Up Local project.
REGISTER
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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
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