Funding Alert: Food processing program (MAPAQ)

The Food Processing Program aims to improve the productivity, competitiveness and environmental footprint of Quebec's food processing sector by supporting projects that contribute to its development.

The Food Processing Program supports the development of Quebec’s food processing sector. It aims to boost productivity, competitiveness, and environmental performance.

The Food Processing Program aims to improve the productivity, competitiveness and environmental footprint of Quebec’s food processing sector by supporting projects that contribute to its development.

Intake Period: Open until September 30, 2025, subject to available funding

Funding Amount

Stream 1 : Up to 50% of eligible expenses. Maximum of $75,000 per applicant. Minimum expenditure of $10,000.
Stream 2, 3 and 4 : Up to 50% of eligible expenses. Minimum of $50,000 for component 2 and $15,000 for components 3 and 4. The maximum assistance amount of $150,000 per establishment for the duration of the program.
10% bonus for projects that meet ministerial or government priorities.

Eligible Applicants: Food processing program

Eligible applicants must:

Be Located in Quebec
Have at least one full year of operations
Have a maximum total sales of $200,000,000, and minimum sales of $300,000 and $100,000 in equity for component 2.

Applicants must also:

Conduct food processing activities, or
Complete two other processing activities recognized by MAPAQ, or
Operate a central kitchen

Objectives & Eligible Projects: Food processing program

Stream 1: Facilitate the implementation of development projects by food processing companies by supporting the contribution of external expertise and the acquisition of skills within these companies.

Hiring of an external expert for: business diagnostics (productivity, competitiveness, business functions, environmental performance or other)
Development and deployment of a workforce recruitment or retention strategy
- Employee skills development
- Planning a business transfer
- Drawing up plans and specifications (min. expenditure $5,000)

Stream 2: Increase workforce productivity through automation and robotization of processes and integrated business management systems.

Automation, robotization or digitization of processes, or
Implementation or adaptation of an enterprise resource planning system (min. expenditure $50,000)

Stream 3: Help companies develop their markets by supporting the implementation and updating of quality and safety management systems, as well as the improvements required to comply with government market access requirements that differ from Canadian requirements.

Implementation or updating of a food safety and quality management system
Adoption of a preventive control plan
Certification to standards such as HACCP or GFSI
Adoption of an organic certification system or adaptation to foreign market access requirements. (minimum expenditure $15,000)

Stream 4: Strengthen the ability of slaughterhouses and cheese dairies to meet the challenges specific to their sector by supporting projects aimed at improving their competitiveness (sub-stream 1) and addressing their environmental issues (sub-stream 2).

Stream 4 sub-stream 1

Automation, robotization or digitization of processes
Implementation or adaptation of ERP software
Implementation of new processes
Optimization of processes
Addition of a production line or product diversification
Implementation or modernization of an animal or food traceability system (min. $15,000 in expenses).

Stream 4 sub-stream 2

Improving the establishment’s environmental performance
Building a new slaughterhouse
Increasing the level of sanitary supervision
Collective initiative for the economic development of the sector or the region, or in terms of sustainable development
Building a humanitarian slaughter line for pork
Initiative related to biosecurity measures for animal transport (min. expenditure $15,000).

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.