The Quebec government will put up $15 million over five years for a competitiveness and innovation program for the province’s agri-food sector.
The funding, announced Saturday by Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard at the annual meeting of the province’s food processors’ council (CTAC), is meant to support processors’ research and development projects for products in line with market trends and consumer expectations for food.
The funding follows last month’s report from the provincial commission on the future of Quebec agriculture and agri-food, which urged “airing out” the province’s ag sector and its supports to allow it to innovate and diversify. The report also described “low expectations” for growth and development in the province’s food processing sector.
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Lessard said in a release that fostering a culture of innovation, especially among small- and medium-sized companies, would boost their business opportunities and strengthen their competitiveness.
The agency Transformation Alimentaire Québec (TRANSAQ) created the competitiveness and innovation program as a way to leverage innovation among food processors.
The program will focus on businesses’ productivity and competitiveness, the economic development of new ideas and research, and creating and developing a tool kit for industry associations.
The department’s strategy will also include an ad campaign to encourage consumers to make Quebec products their first choice, especially products bearing the Aliments du Québec logo. Lessard also urged processors at the meeting to have their products validated with the logo.
