Frederic Serre
The Advocate
The province’s bio-food industry is set to receive a $2.1-million boost from the Quebec government over the next two years as part of a campaign to attract more workers and support innovative projects throughout the province.
“This investment is excellent news for the Centre-du-Québec region,” Quebec Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne said during a press conference Aug. 25 to announce the new funding. “We are giving regional stakeholders the means to build a strong, innovative and sustainable bio-food sector for greater food autonomy.”
The funding, made possible by the renewal of the Centre-du-Québec Bio-Food Development Sectoral Agreement, will be used to provide financial support for innovative projects and flagship initiatives for the future of the region, through collaboration among local stakeholders, Lamontagne said.
Part of the funding is reserved for a call for projects that meet the priorities identified by the community. Bio-food organizations in the region are invited to submit their initiatives by October 15. Selected projects will be eligible for up to $250,000 in financial support.
Among the initiatives already supported by the Agreement are Goûtez-y!, which promotes the marketing of agri-food products from the Centre-du-Québec region, and L’ARTERRE, which facilitates the matching of agricultural business transferors with aspiring farmers.
Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, welcomed the news, saying the funds will go directly towards supporting organizations that are already making a difference in their communities.
“This support for the bio-food sector in Centre-du-Québec demonstrates the importance we place on the vitality of the regions and the strength of their stakeholders,” Laforest said. “With this funding, we are supporting initiatives that contribute directly to the economic and social vitality of our communities, while strengthening a sense of pride and belonging to the region.”