Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing

The Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM) program provides funding assistance to agri-businesses for adoption of best practices, new state-of-the-art technologies and processes that stimulate significant improvements in productivity and efficiency.

Program Objectives

Assist Agri-businesses in adopting best practices, new state-of-the-art technologies and processes that stimulate significant improvements in productivity and efficiency.

Funding Amount

• Efficiency Stream: 50% of eligible costs to a maximum program payment of $300,000 (T1), $500,000 (T2) or $750,000 (T3) depending on funding tier
• Emissions Reduction Stream: 60% of eligible expenditures up to maximum program payment amount depending on funding tier
• Expansion Stream: 50% of eligible expenditures up to maximum program payment amount depending on funding tier

Eligible Applicants

• Agri-businesses involved in value-added processing of Saskatchewan agricultural products
• A commercial enterprise located in Saskatchewan
• Incorporated federally or in Saskatchewan and have filed income tax in Saskatchewan within the past year
• Incorporated federally or in Saskatchewan and have filed income tax in Saskatchewan within the past year
• Demonstrating a minimum of $100,000 gross annual revenue relating to value-added processing
• Using an identifiable portion of inputs originating from primary agricultural commodities grown or raised in Canada

Funding Process

• Pre-approval is required for all projects. All applicants must complete a Business Analysis to ensure eligibility. Approval to undertake a business analysis will be provided to eligible applicants after submission and ministry review of the pre-approval application.
• As a condition to access program funding, applicants are required to review the Agri- Environmental Risk Assessment before beginning their project.

Funding is structed using the tiered model below:

• Tier 1
  • Project size of $50,000 to $1,000,000
  • Maximum funding up to $300,000
• Tier 2
  • Project size greater than $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
  • Maximum funding up to $500,000
• Tier 3
  • Project size greater than $5,000,000
  • Maximum funding up to $750,000

Eligible projects

• The purchase of equipment, shipping and installation costs related to the addition of new product processing lines complimentary to processing already being undertaken
• A business analysis completed by third-party contractor can receive 50 per cent of the eligible costs to a maximum of $20,000
• Purchase of new or refurbished equipment and machinery replacing existing equipment and achieves processing efficiencies
• Upgrades to reduce wasted product or by-product results & upgrades to improve energy resource efficiency

Ineligible expenses

• New buildings, additions or building modifications
• Non-third-party transactions
• Taxes, brokerage, legal or interest/financing costs
• Purchase of capital items such as land or buildings
• Production disturbances
• Equipment and supplies requiring replacement on an ongoing basis
• Items considered being regular repair or maintenance
• Expenditures made prior to April 1, 2023
• Office equipment including computers and related hardware/software
• Farm equipment
• Business or marketing plan development

Why Ayming?

Our team of experts will take the time to understand your current and future planned projects. We will then align these initiatives to the program in order to provide you with the highest ROI and the highest chance of approval.

• We have extensive experience working with Canadian SMEs and have the expertise to properly position and maximize your application to secure your business funding.
• We are the first Canadian company to establish a national grants practice.
• Our proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) driven database of grants provides live access to thousands of programs, including a custom snapshot of all federal and provincial grants currently available to each company specifically.
• Our highly experienced delivery teams boast over 50 + years of combined grants experience and over 200+ years of combined SR&ED experience, meaning you partner with true subject matter experts who are invested in your success.
• No risk success-fee remuneration.

Contact one of our Grant experts today to get your application started ASAP before program funding is depleted! We’re here to help and answer all of your questions.