Backgrounder: Government of Canada invests in agricultural manufacturing and agri-food sectors in Saskatchewan

PrairiesCan is investing over $3.2 million in four projects across Saskatchewan’s agriculture and agri-food sectors.

Non-repayable program funding

The Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program helps create, grow, and nurture inclusive regional ecosystems. Through RIE, targeted investments in not-for-profit organizations assist businesses in priority sectors to innovate, grow and compete globally.

• Ag-West Bio Inc. ($350,500)
  This investment will help enhance food ingredient cluster capacity and programming under Prairie Food Link in Saskatchewan. Ag-West Bio Inc. will engage cluster members and promote the food ingredient sector, manage online connection tools, connect members to training and other supports, add a new online directory for co-packing members, complete research to identify barriers to cluster growth and productivity, and develop and implement a strategy to address the findings of that research.

Repayable program funding

Investments announced today through the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program are repayable funding for businesses. BSP offers interest-free, repayable funding to small and medium-sized businesses to scale up and produce innovative goods, services, or technologies.

• Lupin Platform Inc. ($500,000)
  This funding will allow Lupin Platform to accelerate the creation of Canada's first lupin processing facility, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The facility will produce ingredients for human consumption, pet food, and high-value animal feed. It will also create local jobs and serve both domestic needs and export opportunities to help establish Canada as a key player in the global lupin market. Lupin is celebrated for its health benefits, providing high levels of protein and fiber crucial for those following a high protein, high fiber diet.

• Oleet Processing Ltd. ($1,400,000)
  This company based in Regina, Saskatchewan will expand its manufacturing capacity and improve productivity to meet demand for Omega-3 enriched feed products. Oleet will build on its successful poultry feed business and focus on developing the North American dairy market for their products. This Omega-3 plant-based feed helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by lowering methane emissions from dairy cattle.

• RayHawk Technologies Inc. ($1,015,083)
  Funding for RayHawk will help the company commercialize a machine learning autonomous system that opens and closes railcar lids. They will install and commission a demonstration site in an outdoor setting at a large grain terminal in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to prove the technology works in that environment. RayHawk will also hire marketing professionals and implement a go-to-market strategy once the outdoor demonstration site is proven successful.

Related products

• News release: Government of Canada invests in agricultural manufacturing and agri-food sectors in Saskatchewan